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ExxonMobil-Goleta Beach Hazards
Removal Project
Typical caisson
consisting of steel and concrete
(May 2005) |
Steel H-Piles
and concrete debris (May 2005) |
Caisson removal
(January 2006) |
Removal of H-Piles
(January 2006) |
Removal of concrete debris
from beach by crane at the top
of the bluff (February 2006) |
Bubbling of well-testing
required before further removal
(February 2006) |
Remaining Well (February 2006)
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What's New
- After completion of initial abandonment
activities in February 2006, it was
determined that the four remaining
wells needed further testing to determine
the appropriate abandonment method.
A 45-day well testing program was administered
in July 2006 to determine the status
of the vintage wellheads. As seen in
the photos above, a pressure gauge
was adapted to one of the four wells,
identified as the “Sands-137” well
site. The monitoring equipment will
allow for the measurement of casing
pressure, provide the ability to purge
ambient air from the system and obtain
a representative sample of the gas.
- The completion of the well testing
program has concluded with preliminary
results indicating that no gas was
detected during the testing. Therefore
ExxonMobil is proposing to pursue abandonment
of the four remaining wells with the
same abandonment method as the previous
removal efforts.
- ExxonMobil is currently
pursuing permits for this final phase
of abandonment with California State
Lands Commission, Army Corps of Engineers,
California Coastal Commission, State
Water Resources Control Board and
the County of Santa Barbara. Construction
activities are predicted to begin
in November 2006.
Description
Former oil and gas exploratory drilling
sites on Goleta Beach were plugged and
abandoned in accordance with the Departments’ guidelines
in 1932. These sites had oil drilling
structures constructed in 1929 - 1932
consisting of a caisson set composed
of one 12 foot-diameter well caisson
surrounded by four 8-foot diameter derrick
foundation caissons. A pier structure
was also constructed from the inshore
bluff to each well site to facilitate
construction of the drilling structure
and to conduct the drilling operations.
The pier included wooden decking which
was built on steel H-piles and wood piles.
Surf conditions at the project site
resulted in the exposure of the tops
of the remaining portions of the caissons
and some steel and wooden piles.
The overall objective of this work
is to eliminate long-term risks to public
safety associated with potential future
exposures of these beach hazards.
Location
The four exposed former pier sites
(James-136, Sands-137, Crandall-138,
and Parker-139) are located below the
high tide line on Goleta Beach immediately
east of the Goleta Slough Mouth.
Past Activities
- Historical Background - State
project The State Lands Commission;
the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal
Resources (DOGGR) and the Energy
Division are currently discussing
ways to obtain funding for this project.
The project was put on hold under the Governor's
declared state of fiscal emergency in January 2004.
Planning and Development assisted the State Lands
Commission with a project to remove manmade hazards
along the coast of Santa Barbara County. State Lands
obtained $931,000 for a two-year project for removal
of beach hazards in Santa Barbara and Ventura County.
P&D's role in this inter-agency effort was to
help identify candidate hazards and to assist with
local land use and access permitting. 24 sites for
removal were identified, and 21 of these are along
or offshore Santa Barbara County. Hazards include
those that are currently exposed, as well as those
that are currently buried but have historically been
exposed following winter storms. The hazards range
from partially abandoned oil wells and piers to failed
seawalls and sheetpiling. Other agencies involved
included the Coastal Commission, State Parks, and
the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria.
- Goleta Beach Hazards Removal Exxon
Mobil is funding the removal of exposed
caissons and remnant pier structures
and debris in the surf zone east of
Goleta Beach. Exxon Mobil submitted
an application to the County on August
22, 2005 for the removal of exposed
caissons and remnant pier structures
in the surf zone east of Goleta Beach.
Exxon Mobil’s application was
found complete on September 22, 2005.
On November 23, 2005 the Demolition
and Reclamation permit was issued.
- Removal of all H-piles, concrete
caissons, steel and concrete debris
began on November 30, 2005 and was
completed at Goleta Beach on February
15, 2006. Four wells will remain in
place until investigation by ExxonMobil
and CSLC allows further cutting or
removal.
- The Final Restoration Plan
was approved by SB County on February
23 and restoration activities began
on February 24. Revegetation plantings
were completed by March 1 but maintenance
efforts will be ongoing until the
plants are established.
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