509828_CRPC_OG
Summary
SCH Number
2025010691
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
509828_CRPC_OG
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/23/2025
Document Description
California Resources Production Corporation (CRPC) proposes to rework an existing oil & gas well located in the North Shafter Oil Field. The rework involves pulling production equipment, cleaning out the wellbore and evaluating the liner condition for damage, remediating the liner with a squeeze cement job and/or running a slotted inner liner, re-running production equipment, and returning the well to production to existing facilities. No production facilities and no new ground surface disturbance will be associated with the rework. Temporary equipment such as pumps and return bins may be needed. Various mobile temporary equipment will be used including, but not limited to, workover rig, etc., and vehicles to transport personnel and materials to/from the site. Any waste materials will be properly disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
The administrative grouping initially proposed reworking 3 wells. Of the 3 wells, 2 wells were determined to have integrity issues that required swift action for the protection of public health, safety, and the environment and therefore received an expedited review. The work was approved with a prior exemption and the optional NOE was not filed. The scope of this review is the rework of the remaining 1 well from the initial administrative grouping. The wells that received an expedited review are listed below.
API # Well Name
0403050850 Shafter WD 2-6
0403020556 SWICO 34-9
The proposed project consists of the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) approving a permit for CRPC to rework the well listed below, in the North Shafter Oil Field.
API # Well Name
0403047995 Timeless 28-6H
Contact Information
Name
Nicole Trezza
Agency Name
Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division
Job Title
CEQA Program Contractor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Gayla Dempsey
Agency Name
California Resources Production Corporation
Job Title
Permitting/CEQA
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Kern
Regions
Countywide, Statewide
Township
27S
Range
25E
Section
28
Base
MD
Other Location Info
North Shafter Oil Field
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301
Reasons for Exemption
The project is exempt under the Class 1, Existing Facilities exemption because the project would make minor changes to an existing well involving no expansion of the existing use of the well. Class 1 consists of the “minor alteration” of existing facilities “involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.” (14 CCR § 15301.) This includes “alteration of well casing, such as perforating and casing repair.” Additionally, in accordance with 14 CCR § 1684.1 the Class 1 exemption consists of operation, repair, maintenance, minor alternation of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing previously. This Class includes but is not limited to conversion, and abandonment work on oil, gas, injection, and geothermal wells involving the alteration of well casing, such as perforating and casing repair, removal, or replacement; installation or removal of downhole production or injection equipment, cement plugs, bridge plugs, and packers set to isolate production or injection intervals. The project consists of remediating the liner with a squeeze cement job and/or running a slotted inner liner and returning the well to production. No expansion of the existing well pad, roads, staging areas, or pipelines are proposed, and the completion design would be the same as the original wellbore. According to a CalGEM engineer, the proposed work is within the scope of UIC project 69900001 and would be a continuation of operations within the confines of the UIC project as permitted by the project approval letter (PAL). Therefore, the changes to the existing facilities would be negligible and would not expand the existing use.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 2: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15302
Reasons for Exemption
Class 2 exemption applies because it consists of “replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced[.]” Examples of Class 2 include, but are not limited to, “[r]eplacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.” The project would include pulling and replacing production equipment, cement squeezing, and replacing the inner liner, and the completion design would be the same as the original wellbore. According to a CalGEM engineer, the proposed work is within the scope of UIC project 69900001 and would be a continuation of operations within the confines of the UIC project as permitted by the PAL. Therefore, the proposed project consists of replacement or reconstruction and would not change the purpose or capacity of the well.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15304
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4 exemption applies. Class 4 consists of “drilling operations that result only in minor alterations with negligible or no permanent effects to the existing condition of the land, water, air, and/or vegetation.” (14 CCR § 1684.2; see also 14 CCR § 15304). The proposed project would be conducted entirely on an existing pad with enough space to contain all equipment. The project would include remediating the liner with a squeeze cement job and/or running a slotted inner liner and returning the well to production, and the completion design would be the same as the original wellbore. No expansion of the existing well pad, roads, staging areas, or pipelines are proposed. The proposed project is located within an industrial area. Therefore, the proposed project “consists of drilling operations that result in only minor alterations with negligible or no permanent effects to the existing condition of the land, water, air, and/or vegetation.”
Exceptions to Exemptions: CalGEM further finds that there are no exceptions to the application of the categorical exemptions (PRC § 21084; 14 CCR § 15300.2) referenced above. For example, there is no substantial evidence that there are any “unusual circumstances” associated with the proposed project that create a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment, and that there are no significant “cumulative impacts” resulting from successive projects of the same type in the same place. Therefore, reliance on the exemptions is appropriate.
A copy of this NOE (as required by 14 CCR § 15062(a)) and all other related materials can be made available to the public by contacting the CalGEM CEQA Program, located at 715 P Street, MS 1803, Sacramento, CA 95814; by calling (916) 445-9686; or an electronic copy of these documents may be requested by contacting CEQA@conservation.ca.gov. The notice filed with the State Clearinghouse may be accessed online at: https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.