546216_Group_SPR_UIC_OG

2025030385

California Department of Conservation (DOC)

NOE - Notice of Exemption

3/11/2025

3/11/2025

Mikayla Vaba

Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division

Environmental Planner

Lead/Public Agency

715 P Street, MS 1803
Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 445-9686

CEQA@conservation.ca.gov

Thomas Cruise

Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC

Agent

Project Applicant

1200 Discovery Drive, Suite 500
Bakersfield, CA 93309

(661) 395-5320

tcruise@sentinelpeakresources.com

35°20'43"N 119°39'34"W

30S

22E

06

MD

Cymric Oil Field

Categorical Exemption

Class 1, Existing Facilities (14 CCR §§ 15301, 1684.1)

The project is exempt under the Class 1, Existing Facilities because the project would make minor alterations to existing wells with negligible changes to the existing use of the wells. Class 1 consists of the “operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing previously.” This includes “remedial, maintenance, 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.” (14 CCR § 1684.1.) The project involves remedial maintenance work on three existing wells, including plugging back the existing perforation intervals with cement and adding additional perforations. These are negligible changes that would not result in significant impacts to surface or subsurface conditions. A CalGEM engineer has confirmed that the proposed work is within the scope of UIC projects 19024022 and 19024124, and the purpose of the proposed operations is the continuation of operations within the UIC projects as approved by the PALs. A CalGEM engineer has confirmed that the work proposed is not part of a 2024 addendum to the19024022 PAL. Additionally, this work is meant to address subsidence issues under a mitigation plan per CalGEM’s Order to Perform Remedial Work No. 1296 and would not substantially increase the capacity of the wells. Therefore, the work would not involve a change in use.

Categorical Exemption

Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction (14 CCR § 15302)

The project is exempt under the Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction exemption because the project would reconstruct the casing and wellbores of three existing wells and would not substantially change the purpose or capacity of the wells. Class 2 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[.]” (14 CCR § 15302.) The project would reconstruct the casing and wellbores of three existing wells by plugging back the existing perforation intervals with cement and adding additional perforations. The work would take place on the existing well pads and wellbores. The reworks would not substantially change the purpose or capacity of the wells, as a CalGEM engineer has confirmed that the proposed work is a continuation of the approved UIC projects 19024022 and 19024124. Additionally, this work is meant to address subsidence issues per CalGEM’s Order to Perform Remedial Work No. 1296 and would not substantially increase the production capacity of the wells.

Categorical Exemption

Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land (14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2)

The project is exempt under the Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land because the project involves minimal surface disturbance that could significantly impact the surrounding environment. 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 project would take place on existing well pads which are large enough to accommodate the necessary equipment and can be accessed by existing roads. The project would not involve the expansion of the existing well pad, road, staging areas, or pipelines and would avoid any undisturbed vegetation. The project is located in a densely developed oil field. Therefore, there would be negligible or no permanent effects to the surrounding environment.

Categorical Exemption

Classes 7 and 8, Protection of Natural Resources and the Environment (14 CCR §§ 15307, 15308)

The project is exempt under Classes 7 and 8, Protection of Natural Resources and the Environment because the project would address risk to natural resources and the environment as directed by a regulatory agency. Classes 7 consist of “actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment…Construction activities are not included in this exemption.” Class 8 consists of “actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. Construction activities and relaxation of standards allowing environmental degradation are not included in this exemption.” (14 CCR §§ 15307, 15308.) The proposed work is meant to address subsidence issues in the Cymric oil field per a mitigation plan developed to comply with CalGEM’s Order to Perform Remedial Work No. 1296. Addressing subsidence issues will help to prevent further degradation of the surface and subsurface environment. The project does not involve the construction or expansion of facilities and therefore would not involve construction activities.