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Oil and gas companies use a lot of water to extract oil in drought-stricken California

By Kyle Ferrar, MPH/November 9, 2021 / 10 minute read
2 Comments on Oil and gas companies use a lot of water to extract oil in drought-stricken California
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Overview

California’s recent torrential downpour (October 25th and 26th) set records for the amount of rain dropped on the drought-stricken state this century. The fierce atmospheric river reduced wildfire risk, but the intensity of precipitation destabilized fire scars, resulting in erosion and landslides. While the rain was welcome, California is still far below the state’s average rainfall for the year, and the state’s reservoirs are still drastically low for this time of year. With the threat of forest fires at least on hold for the season, a serious conversation must begin regarding the climatic causes underpinning California’s drought and extreme storm events.

The availability of freshwater resources for the future is central to this discussion. In this report, FracTracker Alliance explores California’s oil and gas industry’s consumption of freshwater to understand which oil companies consume freshwater, where they use it, how much they use, and where it comes from. While Governor Newsom has requested Californians cut their personal domestic consumption of freshwater by 15%, little has been done to address the consumption of water by extractive industries. Governor Newsom has pledged a ban on fracking by 2024, yet this will do little to address the primary culprit of freshwater consumption – enhanced oil recovery.

Water Consumption

Food & Water Watch recently reported that oil and gas companies have consumed upwards of three billion gallons of freshwater from municipal sources in California since 2018—resources otherwise reserved for drinking water and other domestic uses. This is according to data from the California Department of Geological Energy Management (CalGEM). Just under Governor Newsom, who came into office in January 2019, the state has used 1.44 billion gallons of municipal freshwater for oil and gas extraction (2019-June 2021). For comparison, these 3 billion gallons used for oil and gas drilling in California would fill 4,570 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or provide water for over 120 million showers for California households.

Considering the current state of California’s intense drought that has created the conditions responsible for the state’s massive forest fires, this is no small drop in the bucket; and this is only the tip of the iceberg. United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the lifecycle cost of extracting and refining one barrel of oil requires, on average, 1,850 gallons of water. In 2019-2020, CalGEM reported an average 151.7 million barrels of oil produced from California onshore and offshore extraction each year. While this FracTracker analysis focuses strictly on consumption of fresh municipal water from domestic, surface water, and groundwater sources for extraction operations, in total, California oil and gas operations consume upwards of 280 billion gallons of water for extraction and refining annually.

Continuing oil and gas extraction will only add to the climate change feedback loop that has induced and worsened the state’s drought that has already spanned over two decades.

Oil and gas industry threats to drinking water are not limited to just municipal supplies meant for domestic use. Besides appropriating on average one billion gallons from municipal sources annually, CalGEM data shows oil companies used an additional 660 million gallons from surface water sources—including the California Aqueduct—between 2018 and 2020. Operators pumped an additional 302 million gallons of potable groundwater from California’s vulnerable aquifers as well. In total, the oil and gas industry consumed over 4.6 billion gallons of freshwater in that three-year span just for enhanced oil recovery underground injection operations.

This analysis explores the data detailing the industry’s consumption from these three sources of freshwater: municipal sources, surface waters, and groundwaters. FracTracker summarized the data to show which companies, production practices, and oilfields are the largest freshwater consumers. This report’s results should be considered a minimum for water use totals—as the data sources had numerous omissions—and different sources reported very different volumes for the same years (e.g. CalGEM monthly vs. quarterly production and injection reports). This report begins by exploring how hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations impact water consumption.

Hydraulic Fracturing in California

While water consumption by the oil and gas industry is not regulated in any limiting manner, Governor Newsom has pledged a ban on fracking by 2024. Nationwide, fracking uses a vast amount of water, estimated at 140 billion gallons annually. On the other hand, fracking in California actually contributes very little to this total. Data on fracked wells was not available for 2018 – but in 2019, fracking operations reported using 10,959,546 gallons from these freshwater sources for injection, and reported another 17,549,394 gallons consumed in 2020. During Governor Newsom’s first two years (2019-2020), fracking operations used over 28 million gallons of freshwater.

For a state in perpetual drought intensified by climate change, these volumes are not trivial, particularly when used for oil extraction. Further fracking activity will continue to exacerbate the current water crisis via additional climate impacts, as well as threaten more groundwater resources. While Governor Newsom’s proposed fracking ban will be a welcome change for climate advocates, it does not go into effect until 2024, and does little to address the primary culprit of freshwater consumption – enhanced oil recovery.

Enhanced Oil Recovery Water use

Food & Water Watch’s recent report makes it clear that enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations – including steam injection and water flooding – are the principal consumers of domestic municipal water by the oil and gas industry. EOR wells inject water and steam into oil reservoirs to move oil towards production wells where it can be pumped to the surface.

Food & Water Watch’s analysis provides a thorough breakdown of water volumes consumed by the different classes of EOR wells. Copied from their report, injected freshwater volumes from domestic municipal water systems are tallied in Table 1 below. The data clearly shows that steam injection (cyclic steaming and steam flood wells) consumes the greatest amounts of freshwater otherwise available for domestic use. Steam injection operations are water and energy intensive, on average using 30% of the fossil fuels extracted just to generate the steam (Hama 2014).

Table from Food & Water Watch’s “Drilling California Dry” report shows domestic water usage by the oil and gas industry, broken down by type of extraction operation (January 2019-June 2021).
Table 1. Table from Food & Water Watch’s “Drilling California Dry” report shows domestic water usage by the oil and gas industry, broken down by type of extraction operation (January 2018-June 2021). Food & Water Watch. 2021. Drilling California Dry: An Analysis of Oil and Gas Water Usage Since 2018.

Water Sources

Domestic Municipal Water Districts

The sources of the two billion gallons of freshwater used by oil and gas operators in 2019 and 2020 are the municipal water districts listed in Table 2 below. Oil and gas operators that consumed the freshwater are listed in Table 3. Chevron is the largest consumer of freshwater from municipal sources in California of any oil and gas company. The majority of Chevron’s operations are located near Bakersfield, where they access the West Kern Water District – which provides the most freshwater to oil and gas companies of any water district in the state. Operators like Chevron, Holmes Western, and Aera Energy have contracted industrial water service agreements with West Kern Water District and several other domestic water suppliers to use municipal water stores for oil and gas extraction. Purchases of water entitlements from water districts are completed at negotiated discount industrial water rates and traded among oil companies, such that agreements can be decades old – while the municipal infrastructure necessary for water treatments is otherwise subsidized by the public and communities.

Sources and volumes of domestic water consumed by oil and gas companies for underground injection in California. Data summarized from CalGEM monthly and quarterly injection reports 2018, 2019, and 2020
Table 2. Sources and volumes of domestic water consumed by oil and gas companies for underground injection in California. Data summarized from CalGEM monthly and quarterly injection reports 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Table 3. Volumes of domestic municipal waters consumed by individual oil and gas companies in California. Data summarized from CalGEM monthly and quarterly injection reports 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Table 3. Volumes of domestic municipal waters consumed by individual oil and gas companies in California. Data summarized from CalGEM monthly and quarterly injection reports 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Surface Water

In addition to the three billion gallons off freshwater used by the oil and gas industry (2018-2020), another 660 million gallons were taken from California’s surface water sources, including the California Aqueduct and the previously referenced West Kern Water District. These surface water systems are typically reserved for agriculture and domestic use. The Aqueduct provides domestic water to 2.7 million users in California. In Tables 4 and 5 below, surface water volumes are summed to show the largest sources used for injection, and the operators using the majority of the surface water for oil extraction. The California Aqueduct provides the majority of surface water – resources otherwise restricted to agricultural operations due to limited availability. The impact on agriculture has led to increased water costs for small farmers, already struggling to compete with “big ag”. The primary users of these supplies were Berry Petroleum in 2019 and 2020, and Crimson Resource Management in 2018 and 2019.

Table 4. Sources and volumes of surface waters consumed by California oil and gas companies for underground injections.
Table 4. Sources and volumes of surface waters consumed by California oil and gas companies for underground injections. (Data sourced from CalGEM Monthly and Quarterly Injection Summary Reports, 2018-2020)
Table 5. Volumes of surface waters consumed by individual oil and gas companies in California. (Data sourced from CalGEM Monthly and Quarterly Injection Summary Reports, 2018-2020)

Groundwater extraction

Much of the industry’s water also comes from groundwater. This elevates the risk of contamination of ground waters. Pumping and consuming groundwater reduces an aquifer’s capacity to withstand contamination from oil drilling and extraction. Between 2018 and 2020, the industry pumped at least 2.6 billion gallons from groundwater aquifers for oil extraction, according to CalGEM production data. But the volume is likely much higher. CalGEM’s data for water production volumes was inconsistent and incomplete (CalGEM’s quarterly and monthly production reports disclose drastically different volumes). The oil companies siphoning fresh groundwater are listed below in Table 6.

Table 6. Volumes of groundwater extracted using ‘water source’ wells in California. Water source wells are water wells managed by oil and gas companies.
Table 6. Volumes of groundwater extracted using ‘water source’ wells in California. Water source wells are water wells managed by oil and gas companies. (Data sourced from CalGEM Monthly and Quarterly Production Summary Reports, 2018-2020)

Groundwater consumption increases contamination risks for aquifers by reducing their capacity to dilute salinity and hydrocarbons. Sources of salinity and hydrocarbon contamination can be waste pits, or extraction activity in neighboring underground formations. In many cases, water source wells are created by plugging oil production wells at a depth above the formation, and perforating the well casing at the depth of groundwater aquifers. These methods have the potential to contaminate groundwater resources.

Such is the case of the water source well identified as Lease A.D.P Hunter-Rogers (API#411120640), shown below in Figure 1. According to CalGEM documents summarized below in Figure 2, the oil production zone of the well borehole was improperly isolated from the upper freshwater zone. When this issue was addressed, workers found multiple failures in the protective well casing meant to isolate oil from groundwater. This scenario is not unique; it can – and often does – lead to contamination of the groundwater zone by oil and other hydrocarbons. This is a common issue for aging oil and gas wells, some of which are retrofitted as water source wells.

Figure 1. Letter from CalGEM (Formerly DOGGR) to an oil and gas operator concerning an improperly plugged oil well that was leaking into the groundwater of a wildlife preserve located outside of Los Angeles, California, in January 2019.
Figure 1. Letter from CalGEM (Formerly DOGGR) to an oil and gas operator concerning an improperly plugged oil well that was leaking into the groundwater of a wildlife preserve located outside of Los Angeles, California, in January 2019.

Water source wells are often in areas where groundwater resources are considered underground sources of drinking water (USDW). In the map below, 35% of California’s active “water source” wells are drilled into USDWs—including the well identified above as A.D.P Hunter-Rogers—which was drilled through a USDW in Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge. Oil production needs to be limited within protective distances from groundwater resources and USDWs.

Without adequate regulations, the current solution to pollution is only dilution.

California Water-Source Wells

Figure 2. Map of Water Source Wells in California. The map shows water source wells and EOR. The boundaries of aquifer exemptions are also shown. Aquifer exemptions identify areas where the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the sacrifice of groundwater zones for oil and gas extraction. These groundwaters are typically contaminated from legacy oil and gas operations, and are no longer considered underground sources of drinking water (USDWs). View the map “Details” tab below in the top right corner to learn more and access the data, or click on the map to explore the dynamic version of this data. Data sources are also listed at the end of this article. In order to turn layers on and off in the map, use the Layers dropdown menu. This tool is only available in Full Screen view. Items will activate in this map dependent on the level of zoom in or out.

View Full Size Map | Updated 9/1/2021 | Map Tutorial

The USGS is currently working with the California State Water Resources Control Board to study the impact of oil and gas operations on groundwater quality.

An initial assessment of the proximity of groundwater to oil and gas drilling identified 22 major oil and gas fields as the highest priority of relative risk based on numerous factors (Davis, T.A., Landon, M.K., and Bennett, G.L., 2018). More focused risk assessments are being conducted to prioritize the locations for additional monitoring. Monitoring wells are used to track groundwater contamination via sampling. A map showing the prioritization of California oil and gas fields, along with the location of groundwater monitoring locations can be found on the State Water Boards website. It is clear that expansion of these oilfields will increasingly degrade the surrounding groundwater resources.

The Take Away

While 4.6 billion gallons is certainly a lot of freshwater – particularly considering the current state of California’s drought – the volume of water injected by oil companies has decreased over the last three years (2018-2020, likely due to market pressures and a lack of demand for crude during the Covid-19 pandemic. State legislators and Governor Newsom have an opportunity to limit the re-expansion of water consumption for oil and gas production. Without responsible legislation to protect California’s freshwater resources, growth in the fossil fuels market could return the state to less sustainable practices. According to CalGEM injection data from just 10 years ago, the California oil and gas industry consumed on average 8.4 billion gallons of freshwater (per year!).

In a dry year or decade, every drop of water consumed by oil companies matters, as it is taken from California’s farm fields and domestic users, increasing the cost of both water and food. California is in the process of closing out 2021 as the state’s second-driest water year on record, with nearly 88% of California now in the clutches of “extreme drought”. While Governor Newsom has declared a drought emergency, conservation efforts continue to fall short of state targets. While the public has cut their water use by 5% compared to last year, the oil and gas industry continues to consume freshwater and contaminate groundwater resources. Furthermore, burning more fossil fuels only reinforces the impacts of climate change that add to the severity of the drought. Continuing on this trend will result in more adverse impacts on California agriculture, drought-damaged forests, worse wildfires, reduced hydroelectricity generation, stressed fish populations, and depleted groundwater aquifers. California must phase out oil extraction in favor of healthy energy production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels in order to lessen the threat of megadroughts now and in the future.

Appendix I; Methods

This analysis used CalGEM data collected from operators (oil companies), as required by State Bill 1281. The data is published by CalGEM in monthly and quarterly production and injection reports for oil and gas wells. Production and injection data was downloaded for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 on July 11, 2021. Data was mapped using ESRI ArcGIS Pro V 2.7.0 software.

References & Where to Learn More

Data Sources

  1. CalGEM 2018 Monthly and Quarterly Production and Injection Databases. Downloaded 8/10/21. https://www.conservation.ca.gov/calgem/Online_Data/Pages/Index.aspx
  2. CalGEM All Wells Database. Downloaded 8/1/21. https://www.conservation.ca.gov/calgem/Online_Data/Pages/Index.aspx
  3. USGS Oil and Gas fields for regional groundwater monitoring based on a preliminary assessment of petroleum resource development and proximity to California’s groundwater resources. Downloaded 8/12/21. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20185065

Topics in This Article:

Climate Change, Infrastructure, Legislation & Politics, Water, Wells

Join the Conversation

2 replies
  1. Media now
    Media now says:
    June 18, 2022 at 4:12 pm

    There is very useful information in this article

  2. Pete Baez
    Pete Baez says:
    November 20, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    We need to fasttrack all efforts towards immediate laws and failure is not an option on the table…lives are at stake that include your generation and the next..let’s get buzy people! Don’t get lazy!

Comments are closed.

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FracTracker details the disproportionate amounts of water used by the oil and gas industry in CA and recommends that Gov. Newsom take action.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/RMasoner-ChevronOilPumpJacks-SanJoaquinValley_2008.jpg 428 900 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-11-09 14:59:182021-11-09 21:31:59Oil and gas companies use a lot of water to extract oil in drought-stricken California

It’s Time to Stop Urban Oil Drilling in Los Angeles

September 14, 2021
Oil & gas wells in Los Angeles disproportionately impact marginalized communities, producing dangerous levels of invisible, toxic emissions.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/NRDC-Urban-Drilling-feature.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-09-14 14:26:442021-09-14 14:26:44It’s Time to Stop Urban Oil Drilling in Los Angeles
Prison Strike Poster by Melanie Cervantes

California Prisons are Within 2,500’ of Oil and Gas Extraction

September 9, 2021
California prisoners are on the frontlines of the environmental justice movement, thousands living within 2,500’ of operational O&G wells.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/National-Prison-Strike-poster-feature.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-09-09 08:00:082021-09-08 17:30:46California Prisons are Within 2,500’ of Oil and Gas Extraction
BLenker_infrastructure-oilrig-southLA-CA_Oct2017 feature

New Neighborhood Drilling Permits Issued While California Fails to Act on Public Health Rules

August 5, 2021
California drilling permits continue while Frontline communities and grassroots groups call for an immediate moratorium and 2,500' setback.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BLenker_infrastructure-oilrig-southLA-CA_Oct2017-feature.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-08-05 16:38:392021-08-05 16:38:39New Neighborhood Drilling Permits Issued While California Fails to Act on Public Health Rules

California Oil & Gas Drilling Permits Drop in Response to Decreased Permit Applications to CalGEM

July 26, 2021
As California permit approvals for new oil & gas well drills decrease, Consumer Watchdog urges the Governor to move from fossil fuels.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/California-oil-drilling-feature.jpg 400 900 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-07-26 13:56:312021-07-26 14:03:09California Oil & Gas Drilling Permits Drop in Response to Decreased Permit Applications to CalGEM

California Denies Well Stimulation Permits

July 20, 2021
California regulators recently denied 21 well stimulation permit applications—a welcomed move in the right direction—but not enough.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/California-oil-fields-feature.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-07-20 16:32:222021-07-20 17:36:11California Denies Well Stimulation Permits

Kern County’s Drafted EIR Will Increase the Burden for Frontline Communities

March 4, 2021
Built on sound data and ample research, FracTracker recommends several measures be taken to protect the health of California's overburdened Frontline Communities.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Arvin-CA-well-sites-and-schools-feature-scaled.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-03-04 15:29:422021-04-15 15:14:45Kern County’s Drafted EIR Will Increase the Burden for Frontline Communities
Los Angeles, California skyline

California Oil & Gas Setbacks Recommendations Memo

February 23, 2021
The purpose of this memo is to recommend guidelines to CalGEM for evaluating the economic value of the social benefits and costs to people and the environment in requiring a 2,500 foot setback for oil and gas drilling (OGD) activities.
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Los-Angeles-skyline-feature-scaled.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-02-23 14:42:162021-04-15 14:08:42California Oil & Gas Setbacks Recommendations Memo

Oil and Gas Wells on California State Lands

February 12, 2021
The fossil fuel industry has historically taken advantage of…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Figure-2.-There-are-50-operational-oil-and-gas-wells-permitted-on-California-state-lands-in-the-Sacramento-River-Delta-feature-scaled.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2021-02-12 17:42:002021-04-15 14:08:43Oil and Gas Wells on California State Lands
CA Setbacks Map

People and Production: Reducing Risk in California Extraction

December 17, 2020
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2 Comments
Executive Summary New research shows that low-income communities…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CASetbacksMappic.jpg 614 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-12-17 13:45:242021-04-15 14:16:02People and Production: Reducing Risk in California Extraction

Documenting emissions from new oil and gas wells in California

November 18, 2020
  Working with the environmental nonprofit Earthworks,…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/EQT-Tioga-Wide-7.gif 300 800 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-11-18 12:40:132021-04-15 14:16:04Documenting emissions from new oil and gas wells in California

Recommendations for an EIR to prioritize Kern County Frontline Communities

September 16, 2020
  Kern County Environmental Impact Report As we have discussed…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Pump_Jack_at_the_Lost_Hills_Oil_Field_In_Central_California-feature.jpg 833 1875 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-09-16 19:45:072021-04-15 14:16:08Recommendations for an EIR to prioritize Kern County Frontline Communities

Systematic Racism in Kern County Oil and Gas Permitting Ordinance

June 8, 2020
Kern County, California has approved at least 18,356 illegal…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CalGEM-Drilling-and-Rework-Permits-2015-2020-feature.jpg 833 1875 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-06-08 08:44:542021-04-15 14:16:46Systematic Racism in Kern County Oil and Gas Permitting Ordinance
Map of New 2020 Fracking Permits in California

California, Back in Frack

May 7, 2020
California is once again a fracked state. The moratorium on well…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Map-of-New-2020-Fracking-Permits-in-California.jpg 720 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-05-07 12:48:132021-04-15 14:16:49California, Back in Frack
California well pad

California Setback Analyses Summary

April 2, 2020
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2 Comments
FracTracker Alliance has conducted numerous spatial analyses…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/California-well-pad.jpg 666 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-04-02 10:20:422021-04-15 14:16:50California Setback Analyses Summary

National Energy and Petrochemical Map

February 28, 2020
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1 Comment
This map from FracTracker Alliance is filled with energy and petrochemical data. Explore the map, continue reading to learn more, and see how your state measures up!
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/National-map-feature-3.png 400 900 Erica Jackson https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Erica Jackson2020-02-28 17:35:142022-05-02 15:21:42National Energy and Petrochemical Map
California Governor Gavin Newsom looks at surface expression oil spills

Governor Newsom Must Do More to Address the Cause of Oil Spill Surface Expressions

February 24, 2020
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1 Comment
Chevron and other oil and gas companies in western Kern County…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/California-Governor-Gavin-Newsom--scaled.jpg 666 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-02-24 10:09:182021-04-15 14:55:29Governor Newsom Must Do More to Address the Cause of Oil Spill Surface Expressions
Governor Newsom Well Watch website for California drilling

Oil & Gas Well Permits Issued By Newsom Administration Rival Those Issued Under Gov. Jerry Brown

February 22, 2020
FracTracker Alliance and Consumer Watchdog worked together to…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Screen-Shot-2020-02-21-at-2.22.05-PM.png 674 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2020-02-22 13:29:222021-04-15 14:55:30Oil & Gas Well Permits Issued By Newsom Administration Rival Those Issued Under Gov. Jerry Brown

California is Frack Free, for the Moment

November 19, 2019
…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Newsom-Well-Watch-Feature-scaled.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2019-11-19 20:06:282021-04-15 14:55:36California is Frack Free, for the Moment

Permitting New Oil and Gas Wells Under the Newsom Administration

July 11, 2019
California regulators halt well permitting after Consumer Watchdog…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/inglewood-field-ca-feature-1-scaled.jpg 667 1500 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2019-07-11 14:48:462021-04-15 14:56:28Permitting New Oil and Gas Wells Under the Newsom Administration
Urban Drilling in Los Angeles

Impact of a 2,500′ Oil and Gas Well Setback in California

July 2, 2019
Why does California need setbacks? A new bill proposed by California…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/SignalHill_DavidMcNew_GettyImages_edit.jpg 400 900 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2019-07-02 12:03:382021-04-15 14:56:29Impact of a 2,500′ Oil and Gas Well Setback in California
https://www.kvpr.org/post/dormant-risky-new-state-law-aims-prevent-problems-idle-oil-and-gas-wells

Idle Wells are a Major Risk

April 3, 2019
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2 Comments
Designating a well as "idle" is a temporary solution for operators,…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IdleWellsHathaway_resize.jpg 400 900 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2019-04-03 11:30:582021-04-15 14:56:34Idle Wells are a Major Risk
DOGGR

Literally Millions of Failing, Abandoned Wells

March 29, 2019
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8 Comments
By Kyle Ferrar, Western Program Coordinator, FracTracker Alliance In…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/chevron-surface-expression_resize.jpg 400 900 Kyle Ferrar, MPH https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Kyle Ferrar, MPH2019-03-29 09:08:262021-04-15 14:56:53Literally Millions of Failing, Abandoned Wells
destroyed home following pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA

Unnatural Disasters

February 8, 2019
Guest blog by Meryl Compton, policy associate with Frontier Group Roughly…
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https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/San-Bruno-Aftermath-feature-image.png 400 900 Guest Author https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-FracTracker-logo-horizontal.png Guest Author2019-02-08 19:21:012021-04-15 14:56:55Unnatural Disasters
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