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Southern California Gas Storage Enhancement Project
[Web page updated 7/20/11]
What's New
Santa Barbara County Planning and Development (P&D) staff prepared a Draft EIR (DEIR) for the project, which was released on May 24, 2011. The DEIR release was noticed by a mailed notice and newspaper advertisements. The public was invited to provide comments on the draft during the 45-day public comment period, which closed on Friday, July 8, 2011. During the comment period a public workshop and a public comment hearing were held. For further information, please refer to the Notice of Availability and the DEIR. Seven speakers presented comments at the comment hearing and 21 comment letters were received from the public and interested agencies.
Recent Activities
In 2009, Energy Division staff found the SoCal Gas project application complete and began environmental review by preparing an initial study. The initial study identified one significant impact to visual resources resulting from the temporary presence of the proposed drilling rig. The Energy Division issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on February 22, 2010. A Scoping Document was provided as an attachment to the NOP.
An EIR public scoping meeting for the proposed project was held at Goleta City Hall on March 18, 2010. The meeting was lightly attended by the public. Two residents provided verbal comments. One speaker voiced concerns about project noise and vibration, while the other expressed concern about construction traffic on More Ranch Road. Interested agencies and the public provided further comments during the 45-day review period (February 22 to April 12, 2010). Concerns raised in the comments include visual impacts from the drilling rig, noise and vibration, public safety, air quality and water quality. These comments helped to define the scope of the EIR.
Background
Southern California Gas Company operates a natural gas storage field, La Goleta Storage Field, located on S. Patterson in the Goleta area. SoCalGas purchases market quality natural gas when prices are low and stores it in a depleted gas reservoir located at the La Goleta. The gas is withdrawn at times of high demand and sold to consumers located in 12 counties in central and southern California.
Project
Description
Proposal by Southern California Gas Company to produce native gas from an onshore natural gas reserve located under their La Goleta Storage Field. The project would include the development of 2 production wells, 2 exploratory wells, 2,800 feet of underground pipeline, and a dehydration unit at the La Goleta Storage Field. The applicant estimates there is 3 to 5 billion cubic feet of recoverable gas. The withdrawal of native gas would enhance the existing storage field by expanding the total storage capacity at the facility. Once gas reserves have been produced, the production wells would be integrated into storage operations. The exploration wells are proposed to investigate the feasibility of producing native gas from an adjacent natural gas reserve.
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