Oil and gas companies drilling in state waters of southern California violated in the past three years nearly 400 times, according to a report released on Wednesday, the environmental group.
Materials collected by the center for biological diversity showed the status of violations, ranging from excessive corrosion that failed, and the missing tests needed to assess the strength of the wells. No civil penalties were issued for any violations, the press-Secretary of the State Agency responsible for overseeing oil operations.
The group believes that the problems could pose a serious threat to the environment, if the aging infrastructure fails and leaks oil on the beaches near big cities.
“Knowing the facilities were there decades after decades after decades is a sign that you are going to see a lot of corrosion and disrepair,” said Kristen Monsell, a center attorney. “We need to start getting all this dirty decaying infrastructure of our ocean forever.”
These findings were made three years after rusted two-meter pipe, owned by plains all American Manufacturing exploded on the ground and spilled 120,000 liters of offshore oil, which flowed towards the coast of Santa Barbara. More than a fifth of oil into the ocean.
The group issued its conclusions on the basis of the act of the state of California records request directed to the Department of all notices of violations issued by the offshore oil operations in the division of oil, gas and Geothermal resources in 2015.
The Agency regulates oil and drilling and gas production throughout the state and in water up to three miles from shore. Violations do not contain the platforms in Federal waters, where the presidents Donald trump intends to expand drilling oil and gas wells.
Of the 381 breaches, about 290 were tortured, as the largest state in the field of oil and gas California “analytical resources” and two subsidiaries THUMS long beach Co. and wetlands in long beach and Huntington beach areas. Press Secretary at California resources Corporation announced that the company and its partners believe that they were in “accordance” with integrity practices.
Most of the violations were missing; no integrity checks are required at least every five years. Environmental groups have long found the failures — some more than 20 years between tests. Most of the missing and failed tests on THUMS Islands, owned by the city of long beach was for injection wells used to stimulate oil and gas production or discharge of wastewater from the drilling process.
“THUMS and tidelands and their affiliates employ thousands of wells and to work actively with stakeholders to ensure safe and environmentally responsible activities”, – said press Secretary Margita Thompson. “Our active injection wells in compliance with DOGGR five-year injection well test of integrity.”
On Tuesday, don Drysdale, spokesman for the State’s regulatory Agency, said that the division is still trying to verify the mechanical integrity test was completed and adopted THUMS and additional information he said He was issued civil penalties.
Critics of the Agency have long said that regulators were too cozy with oil interests and went easy. The current administration has already acknowledged the errors and promised more opportunities for control.
“Years and years passed by without any records of these tests conducted by the company,” said Monsell. “It also demonstrates a lack of DOGGR forced and not taken sufficient actions when he does act.”
Hours after search teams had been published, regulators issued the largest fine in the history Department.
Greek oil and gas was fined for nearly 1,500 violations in the domestic oil field in orange County $ 12.5 million.
Greek was associated with many violations and neglect highlighted in the environmental group on the island of Rincon. Lawyer Greeks did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.
Operation off the coast of Ventura County was named state regulators for what is in “serious condition” before children of the Greek Rincon island partnership filed for bankruptcy protection in 2016.
The state seeks $ 100 million from the legislature this year to connect the wells and decommission the Island of Rincon and platform Holly, which was free from Santa Barbara with Denver Venoco filed last year for bankruptcy.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
