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Shell Pipeline Company, LP
Gaviota Oil Terminal
What's New
GTC Ceases Operations Permanently
- GTC permanently ceased operations
and evacuated all oil from the site
as of the third quarter of 2005.
The operator is expected to apply
to the County for a Demolition and
Reclamation Permit in 2006. Meanwhile,
the County has initiated a rezone
of the site from Coastal-Dependent
Industry to recreation.
Description
An onshore crude oil storage facility
consisting of six tanks.
Location
The Gaviota Oil Terminal is located on the ocean side of Highway
101 opposite the Gaviota Oil & Gas Processing Facility.
Shell Pipeline Company, LP Location |
Overhead View of the Gaviota Oil Terminal |
Onshore Facilities
- Tank Farm
- Located on approximately 36 acres
- Six onsite storage tanks (one active)
- 670,500 barrel
storage capacity (all six tanks)
- One active tanks has 80,000 barrel capacity
- Idled tanks are currently not in working condition
- Pipelines:
- 24-inch diameter onshore oil pipeline
Product Distribution
- Crude Oil (from Arguello, Inc.)
- Distributed via pipeline to the Gaviota Oil
Terminal for product for storage; then pumped to the 24-inch
diameter portion of the All American Pipeline
Past Activities
- The first petroleum-related facilities date back to 1896 when
the Alcatraz Asphaltium Company erected an asphalt processing
plant and a deep-water wharf. The processed asphalt was then shipped
by railroad and ship to local markets.
- In 1904, the National Oil and Transportation Company acquired
the plant and converted it into a 3,000 barrel per day (BPD) crude
oil refinery to handle oil from the Santa Maria oil field. Later
the refinery was taken over by the Associated Oil Company, who
operated the facility until 1920.
- In 1950, the original Gaviota site facilities were completely
dismantled (including the original wharf), and in its place a
modern marine terminal was constructed. Dual 12-inch pipelines
were installed to a distance of 2,400 feet from shore for the
loading of crude oil tankers. Mooring facilities consisted of
five 16,500 pound anchors marked with mooring buoys.
- Until 1969, the offshore marine terminal loaded offshore oil
produced in the western Santa Barbara Channel.
- From 1969 until 1987, the terminal loaded only oil produced
from onshore wells and trucked to the site, mostly from Kern County.
- The Gaviota Oil Terminal was constructed in 1987 and began
operation in 1991 as an interim marine terminal.
- Since 1991, the facility has served to store oil produced from
the Point Arguello field and that which is processed at the Gaviota
Oil and Gas Facility; however, nearly all of this oil has been
transported to refinery centers via overland pipelines.
- The facility shipped oil via the marine terminal for less than
one year.
- Texaco suspended loading of marine tankers at the Gaviota Oil
Terminal in 1994, and subsequently abandoned the offshore pipeline
and marine tanker mooring.
- Effective May 1, 2002, Shell Pipeline Company became the successor
to Equilon’s interest in the GTC partnership. In December
2002, the County approved Shell Pipeline Company as the new operator.
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