539953_SPR_OG
Summary
SCH Number
2025010692
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
539953_SPR_OG
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/23/2025
Document Description
Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC (SPR) proposes to rework an existing well located in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field. The proposed rework consists of recovering the damaged liner and re-running a new liner. The well would be completed in the same reservoir as the original wellbore, and the completion design would be the same as the original design. No new pumps, facilities, or flowlines would be installed. Storage, transmission, and processing would be handled utilizing existing infrastructure. No expansion of the existing facilities is required.
Work would require the following equipment: (1) rig to pull and run tubing, and pull and re-run the liner. Deliveries are limited to new liner, gravel pack, and water. All travel to/from the project location would occur on established roadways and no expansion is required. Dust is controlled via water trucks pursuant to SPR’s Dust Control Plan. The project is estimated to take 5 days to complete with 10-hour per day operations from 6:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The existing well pad can accommodate all associated equipment, materials storage, and operations including deliveries and personnel parking. Any undisturbed vegetation would be avoided, and all work would occur on the existing disturbed pad only. No expansion of the existing well pad, road, staging areas, or pipelines is required.
The proposed project consists of the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) approving a permit for SPR to rework the well listed below, in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field.
API # Well Name
0403045523 251U-19
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
Thomas Cruise
Agency Name
Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC
Job Title
Agent
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Kern
Regions
Countywide, Statewide
Township
11N
Range
23W
Section
19
Base
SB
Other Location Info
Midway-Sunset 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 reworking an existing production well to recover the damaged liner and re-run a new liner. 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 46400273 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 the “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 reworking an existing production well to recover the damaged liner and replace the 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 46400273 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 recovering the damaged liner and re-running a new liner, 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
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