Assessment of Rework Permits on Oil Production from Operational Wells Within the 3,200-Foot Public Health Protection Zone

By Kyle Ferrar, MPH/January 24, 2023 / 14 minute read

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Overview

Rework operations on oil and gas production wells are significant sources of local and regional air quality degradation and put frontline communities and sensitive individuals at elevated risk of health impacts. They are also sometimes necessary to resume normal production following a mechanical failure within a well bore. Rework activities typically require operators to open the well bore to the surface environment, resulting in an uncontrolled release of hazardous air pollutant emissions, including toxic and carcinogenic volatile hydrocarbons. To accommodate this pollution, operators are granted 90-day exemptions from the Clean Air Act and all California Air Resources Board emissions regulations.

Due to the exposure risks resulting from rework operations, both SB 1137 and CalGEM’s emergency implementaion of the rule include a ban on rework and workover operations, in addition to new drilling, within the 3,200’ public health protection zone. While this rule will protect the health of millions of Californians, there is a concern that the public health emergency rule will decrease domestic oil production volumes from California. This report therefore assessed how this new rule will impact future production in California, and based on the data made the following determinations.

• An average 1.9% of producing wells within the protection zone receive rework permits each year.
• Denying rework permits would result in an estimated 1.75% loss in annual production, statewide.
• Rates of production decline were faster for reworked wells than non-reworked wells.
• Production increases following rework operations decreased rapidly; 63.5% of reworked wells remained stripper wells, with that percentage climbing to 84.4% within three years.
• The majority of rework permits (66%) have been issued to wells in Kern County.
• The majority of wells operating within the public health protection zone are stripper wells (83%).
• Non-stripper wells were 30% more likely to be reworked than stripper wells.

The results of this analysis show that the policy proposed in SB 1137 of denying rework permits within the health protection zones is a common sense public health intervention. This policy will have the benefit of accelerating the process of well retirement and site remediation for high risk wells, reducing the counts of marginal wells that evade idle status. Maintaining marginal wells with extended production decline curve time frames has allowed operators to dump bad assets on shell companies. Reports show that such wells can be neglected, resulting in leaks and air quality degradation, or orphaned to the state. Plugging and abandoning these wells instead of granting emissions exemptions for hazardous rework operations will improve the local and regional air quality for frontline communities. Additionally, denying rework permits will have a minimal effect on production within the protection zone, which is a fraction (just 1.75% in 2021) of overall statewide production.

Introduction

This short summary report assesses how rework operations impact oil and gas well production volumes. The analyses summarize impacts at the state level, and then focus on rework permit activity that had occurred within the boundaries of a 3,200’ protection zone from sensitive receptors, as defined by SB 1137. The data analysis overlaid annual oil well production data with rework permit notices to answer several questions that provide insight into how many oil wells will potentially discontinue production as a result of the implementation of SB 1137. The law prohibits operators from obtaining a Notice of Intention (NOI), which is necessary to rework, sidetrack, or deepen existing wells. If the majority of oil wells are generally only productive for a few years without reworking them, it is important to understand the possible repercussions on production from eliminating the ability for operators to receive rework permits. The map below shows the locations where CAlGEM has issued permits, and highlights permits that have been issued within the health protection zones.

This analysis assessed how the trends of oil production are impacted by rework operations. Typical reworks are conducted when some sort of technical issue either reduces or prevents production from the borehole of a well. It is not clear to what extent production increases in a well following a rework operation; neither is the typical lifespan of production following the rework. Analyzing reported production volumes for wells prior to rework operations can provide insight into the health wells prior to a rework, as well as the impetus for operators to apply for rework permits. Comparing production volumes prior to a rework with production volumes post-rework provides insight into the impact of reworks on production. Analyzing production data for a sample cohort population of oil-producing wells located within the 3,200’ public health protection zone that also received a rework permit provided an estimation of the potential impact on production of denying rework permits within the protection zone. If reworks permits are denied within the protection zone, the resulting loss in future production will be similar to the historical increase in production following well reworks, if rates of reworks remain consistent.

The analysis also focused on how eliminating the ability to receive rework permits could affect production and to develop an understanding of the effect of well rework operations on production in general. Therefore parts of this analysis included statewide data in order to assess the general impact of rework operations on production, and other sections of this analysis restricted the geography to those areas of California within 3,200’ of a sensitive receptor, as outlined in SB 1137. The latter analyses were conducted using the dataset of wells identified as within the 3,200’ protection zone, identified in previous reports by FracTracker Alliance. This dataset of wells was cross-referenced with both the CalGEM weekly summary reports of issued permits and the CalGEM well production and injection summary reports.

All analyses in this report were limited by the availability of CalGEM permitting data, which was compiled and transcribed from CalGEM weekly permitting updates. Accurate permitting data was not available prior to 2010. Therefore much of this analysis focused on the last 10 years of permitting data and those same years of production data (2012-2021). This analysis compared production figures for wells before and after rework permits were issued. Permitting and production data for these years were compiled and summarized from the annual CalGEM monthly production datasets and CalGEM weekly permit update files using Python Ver 3.10.7.

California Oil and Gas Permits

This interactive map looks at the locations of oil and gas permits issued by GalGEM to California operators for new drilling, reworking, sidetracking and deepening well, and highlights the permits located within 3,200’ of sensitive receptors, including homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and other public locations.

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 1/13/2023| Map Tutorial

Background

Rework operations are used to fix functional issues with oil and gas wells that occur downhole in the wellbore. “Rework” as a legal term means actual work in the hole of an oil or gas well previously completed as a producer that is related to the cause of cessation of production and is made in an attempt to recomplete or repair a well to return it to production, or as defined by the California regulatory code as “any operation subsequent to drilling that involves deepening, redrilling, plugging, or permanently altering in any manner the casing of a well or its function.” Reworks may also be related to workovers, which are more extensive repair or maintenance procedures that require “shutting-in” the well, or stopping production, before work is performed. A workover can also include changing the producing zone in a well or re-completing the well to produce from a different payzone. Without these rework operations, production wells are not likely to be able to function safely.

Reworks, workovers, sidetracks and redrills are included in the prohibitions of SB 1137 due to the elevated risk at which they place communities (for the sake of brevity, this report will use the term rework as an umbrella term that includes all of these prohibited activities that require operators to obtain a ‘notice of intent’). For the considerations of exposure assessment and risk management, these operations can be considered synonymous with drilling new wells. These types of permits reintroduce exposure risks by allowing operators to restart production at a wellsite that had already run its productive course. While an operator may be able to restart production, the majority of reworked wells are not able to maintain production for long, as the data shows. Additionally the payoff is not worth the long-term risk of extending the life of an operational well near communities, or the short term exposures that can occur during the actual rework operations.

Operators are granted 90 day exemptions from Air District rules [§ 956689(a)(2)(G)] while rework operations are occurring. Operators would otherwise unquestionably violate California Air Resources Board emissions regulations, as well as the additional public health protections of local districts. When operators perform rework operations they necessarily open the wellbore to the atmosphere, freely venting what are often large volumes of hydrocarbon emissions. An example of this is shown in the optical gas imaging footage below, of a production facility actively conducting rework operations on a well pad in Santa Barbara, CA. The plumes of emissions are visible, continuously moving over the fencelines of the facility.

Time Frame Analysis of Rework Operations on Production

Methods

Multiple CalGEM datasets were aggregated to complete this analysis, including the current “AllWells” dataset, annual production and injection volume data, and weekly permit updates. The analysis was specifically focused on oil/condensate production so datasets were limited to the wells that reported any volume of production during the time periods of the analysis. This was necessary since well status codes are often unreliable.

The AllWells dataset of unique API ID’s used for the analysis was limited to wells that had received just one (1) rework permit in the last 10 (2012-2021) years in order to eliminate the influence on production of multiple rework operations in consecutive years. An additional 5-year subset 2014-2018 (N=6,668) was pulled from the ten year dataset. Monthly production figures for each well was then summed annually. Annual production volumes were calculated for:

the year prior to the year the permit was issued,
the year the permit was issued, and
the three years following the rework permit.

These years were selected in order to compare annual production volumes prior to rework operations, to production volumes following rework operations. California does not publish a dataset of notifications for actual rework operations. Therefore for the production year prior to rework, this study used the lesser value (volume) of either the year of the issued rework operation or the prior year’s production total. For post-rework production volumes, this study used the maximum annual production value taken from the subset of three years of annual oil/condensate production following the year of the rework permit. This was done in order to account for the standard two-year lifespan of a CalGEM rework permit under the assumption that reworking a well is conducted with the intention of resuming production and possibly increasing production, at least temporarily.

Production Increases Following Reworks

The data shows that production following rework operations during this 5 year timespan is estimated to have increased from reworked wells 809.2% from one year to the next. Production from wells prior to rework totaled 3,411,174 bbls/year (n=3,818). Following the rework, the sample set of the same wells produced an estimated 27,604,364 bbls/year. This increase is specifically representative of the year directly following rework operations. The production data shows this bump in production to be a short lived phenomenon, as production decreased rapidly in consecutive years, dropping an estimated 42.8% by the third year following rework.

Additionally, production from many reworked wells did not have a positive response, or did not resume production at all. Of the 3,818 wells that received rework permits, an estimated 648 (17.0%) failed to improve or increase production volumes. Of the other 3,169 wells that showed some sort of improvement, 51.0% were not able to produce more than 10 bbls/day. While some did regain production, the majority (63.5%) remained stripper wells, producing less than 15 bbls/day.

Data from 1 year post rework showed that of the total reworked (n=3,818), just 30.3% of the wells produced enough oil to not be classified as a stripper well for at least one year following the rework. While some wells resumed production a large proportion (38.3%) of productive wells stopped producing or went idle altogether within the three years following the rework; 77.1% produced less than 10 bbls/day; and 84.4% produced stripper well volumes (<15 bbls/day).

While these percentages of stripper wells are rather high considering the resources spent on the wells to conduct rework operations, the figures are pretty similar to the distribution of production throughout the state. In 2021; 44,791 wells reported oil/condensate production, with just 15.4% of wells reporting production volumes greater than 15 bbls/day, versus 15.6% for wells that had received a rework permit within the three previous years.

Analysis of Past Reworks on Current Production (2021)

In total there are 27,352 operational oil and gas wells (status = active/idle/new) that have been identified with a wellhead location within the 3,200’ public health protection zone. Of those 27,352; 5,262 (19.2%) have received rework permits during the last 10 years (between January 1, 2012-December 31, 2021), compared to 2,528 (9.2%) over the course of the last five years (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2021).

Over the past 10 years, producers have been granted a total of 3,921 permits to drill new wells within the protection zone; 1,044 in the last 5 years. Trends for reworks were a bit different, and actually increased during this same time period. Over the course of the last 10 years (January 1, 2012- December 31, 2021) there were about 27,500 total rework permits issued by CalGEM; 7,354 (26.7%) were issued to wells within the protection zone limits.

Analysis by Production Volume

According to CalGEM production reports, in 2021 California produced 137,157,387.6 barrels of oil/condensate. FracTracker’s protection zone analysis shows that 33,287,112 barrels of oil/condensate (24.3%) were produced from oil wells within the 3,200’ protection zone. The vast majority of California’s oil wells produce stripper well volumes. It is therefore important to explore if there are differences in well reworking counts for higher versus lower producing wells. This will provide insight into what types of wells (high producing vs stripper) are more likely to receive rework permits and are therefore more impacted by SB1137.

To focus on higher producing wells the dataset was limited to wells producing more than at least 15 barrels per day (bpd), based on the reported annual estimate for 2021. This works out to a total of 5,475 bbls per year. Oil wells producing less than that are considered“stripper” wells. Many of the wells producing less than this amount may not be economically viable to continue operations considering the engineering requirements of SB1137. Differences in rework rates between stripper wells and higher producing wells are therefore important to consider. The population of higher producing wells within the protection zone that have received rework permits over the course of the last 5 and 10 years were therefore aggregated and compared to the sample population of stripper wells.

The permitting and production data show that non-stripper wells received more rework permits proportionally than did stripper wells within the protection zone. Of the 10,784 oil wells that have reported production from within the protection zone for 2021; 1,834 (17.0%) wells produced more than 15 bpd. As such, 83% of wells located within the protection zone and reporting production in 2021 were stripper wells. Of those 1,834 non-stripper wells, 431 (23.5%) received at least one rework permit within the previous 10 years (2012-2021), and 233 (12.7%) received at least one rework permit within the previous 5 years (2017-2021). Of the 8,950 stripper wells in the protection zone, 1,612 (18.0%) received at least one rework permit within the previous 10 years (2012-2021), and 906 (10.1%) received at least one rework permit within the previous 5 years (2017-2021). These figures show that higher producing wells (>15 bpd) received higher percentages of rework well permits than stripper wells. Over the 10 year period, non-stripper wells were 30% more likely to receive a rework permit than a stripper well, and 26% more likely over the 5 year period.

Regional Differences

Breaking the data down into basins shows the regional rates of production decline. Comparisons are shown below in Table 1. The analysis did not take into account the spud dates of the wells or the age of the wells. The table shows that while the Los Angeles (LA) basin has the highest count of non-stripper wells within the protection zone, the LA basin received the fewest rework permits per well. Unique to the LA basin, permit counts have decreased in the last five years, whereas in the Central Valley (CV) and the Central Coast (CC) they have increased. The CC had the highest percentage of rework permits issued per non-stripper well in the protection zone, followed by the CV. These regional differences may have an impact on regional reductions of operational wells and production volumes via the implementation of SB1137.

Table 1. Counts of producing wells within the 3,200’ protection zone in each basin (2021) and the counts of rework permits issued to these wells over the course of the last 5 and 10 year periods.

	Full State	Central Valley	Los Angeles	Central Coast
Wells Producing > 15bbls/day (2021)	1,834	643	886	305
5 Year Permit Count	233	106	50	78
5 Year Permit Count %	12.7%	16.5%	5.6%	25.6%
10 Year Permit Count	431	162	157	112
10 Year Permit Count %	23.5%	25.2%	17.7%	36.7%

For the full state including areas outside the protection zone, oil wells in Kern County, which produced 69.1% of of oil in California (2021), were issued 16,130 rework permits over the course of the last 10 years (66% of total rework permits issued), while wells in Los Angeles County with 2,752 rework permits (just 8% of total) had the second most by county. This substantial difference shows that much more rework activity occurs in the CV versus other regions of the state and reflects the increased production from Kern County specifically. Also, the production data shows that for the cohort of wells producing above stripper levels in 2012, production declined the most for wells in the CV Basin. This held true both for wells that received rework permits and those that did not. In both the CV and the LA Basins, wells that received reworks were more likely to not be producing above stripper levels 10 years later than wells that had not been reworked. For wells of the CC basin, production from both reworked and non-reworked wells declined below the level of stripper production at essentially the same rates.

Comparing Current Production for Wells with vs without Reworks

Production Greater than 15 Bbls per Day

To evaluate the potential for wells to continue production above 15 bbls per day without well reworks, this analysis tracked production over the course of these 5 and 10 year periods. Production volumes for wells producing above the stripper threshold in 2012 were tracked and the incidences of rework permits were noted. Of the 1,903 wells producing more than 15 bpd in 2012; 1,576 (82.8%) did not receive a rework permit during the following 10 year period (2012-2021). Without a rework permit during this 10 year period; 482 wells (30.6%) remained productive above a stripper level. Of the 327 producing wells that received rework permits during this period, 69 (21%) continued to produce oil at greater than stripper volumes in 2021. Wells that received reworks were 31% more likely to become stripper wells.

Regional Differences

Regionally these figures followed similar trends, although substantial differences in rates of reworks and rates of decline did provide insight into the future for each basin. For the Los Angeles (LA) Basin (production from Los Angeles and Orange Counties), of the just 788 wells in LA producing more than 15 bpd in 2012; 679 (86.3%) did not receive a rework permit during the following 10 year period (2012-2021). Without a rework permit during this 10 year period; 276 wells (40.6%) remained productive above a stripper level. Of the 109 producing wells that received rework permits during this period, 24 (22.0%) continued to produce oil at greater than stripper volumes in 2021. Of note, the percent of wells in the LA Basin that remained productive above stripper levels without a rework permit was 10 percentage points higher than the state total.

For the CV Basin (production from Kern and Fresno), of the just 806 wells in the CV producing more than 15 bpd in 2012; 674 (83.5) did not receive a rework permit during the following 10 year period (2012-2021). Without a rework permit during this 10 year period; 110 wells (16.3%) remained productive above a stripper level. Of the 132 producing wells that received rework permits during this period, 18 (13.6%) continued to produce oil at greater than stripper volumes in 2021. Of note, the percent of wells in the CV that remained producing above stripper levels both with and without a rework permit was lower than the state total.

For the Central Coast (CC) Basin (production from Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Monterey), of the 308 wells in the CC producing more than 15 bpd in 2012; 223 (72.2%) did not receive a rework permit during the following 10 year period (2012-2021). Without a rework permit during this 10 year period; 96 wells (31.1%) remained productive above a stripper level. Of the 85 producing wells that received rework permits during this period, 27 (31.8%) continued to produce oil at greater than stripper volumes in 2021. Of note, the percent of wells in the CC Basin that remained producing above stripper levels both with and without a rework permit was substantially higher than the state total.

Minimally Producing Stripper Wells

The financial burden of required engineering controls will vary from one operator to the next. Some operators will choose to invest in low or marginally producing wells depending on their long-term production strategies, as well as their investment in and utilization of enhanced oil recovery production methods. This assessment therefore provides the same analysis as above, but with the sample set of wells producing between 10 and 1 bbls/day. This sample set represents oil production wells that produced substantially less than the stripper well production threshold.

Production volumes for wells producing volumes less than 3,650 bbls in 2012 (10 bpd) were tracked and the incidences of rework permits were noted over the course of the following 10 years (2012-2021). A lower threshold of 365 bbls/year (1 bpd) was used for this cohort to avoid the inclusion of idle wells. Of the 5,407 wells producing less than 3,650 bbls/year in 2012; 4,531 (83.8%) did not receive a rework permit during the following 10 year period (2012-2021). Without a rework permit during this 10 year period; 2,353 wells (51.9%) remained at least minimally productive (producing over 365 bbls per year). Of the 876 producing wells that received rework permits during this period, 458 (52.3%) continued to produce oil in at least minimal volumes in 2021.

Limiting the data to the 5 year period 2017-2021 shows slightly different results. Over the five year period a significantly smaller percentage or reworked wells stayed (at least minimally) productive, compared to those that had received rework permits. There were 5,935 wells that produced less than 3,650 bbls/year in 2017, making up 64.8% of all the wells reporting production above 1 bbl/day that year. Of the 5,935 wells producing between 365 and 3,650 bbls/year in 2017; 5,317 (89.6%) did not receive a rework permit during the following five year period (2017-2021). Without a rework during this 5 year period, 3,595 (67.6%) producing wells remained minimally productive (above 365 bbls/year). Of the 692 producing wells that did receive a rework permit during this 5 year period, 408 (59.0%) continued to produce oil at volumes between 365 and 3,650 bbls/year in 2021.

Even at these very low production figures, well reworks were not able to increase the lifespan of production for wells. While unreworked marginal wells fared slightly better than reworked wells, the typical decline curve of marginal oil wells eventually caught up. As shown in the 10-year comparison of marginal wells, both reworked and non-reworked wells were eventually equivalent, at the very end of their lifespan.

Conclusions

Monitoring data clearly shows that rework operations present uniquely heightened risks for frontline communities. Necessarily opening a well bore to allow for the rework operations creates a point source release of hazardous air pollutants including toxic and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) compounds that degrade local and regional air quality resulting in a multitude of health impacts. There are also additional volatile acids and other chemicals often used during reworks that present additional exposure risks. This complacent acceptance of this elevated risk scenario has even been codified in California state air quality regulations with a blanket exemption for uncontrolled releases from all extraction activities and production equipment and infrastructure. The exemptions apply to all state rules and protections meant to reduce these risks for communities. Additionally, they last for a full 90 day period. Eliminating rework operations within the public health protection zone will prevent an annual average of 500 unregulated point sources of acute and chronic exposures to air toxics and carcinogens each year in California communities.

When it comes to “asset retirement” and well plugging, it is not completely clear to what extent the SB 1137 policy forbidding rework operations within the 3,200’ protection zone will necessarily accelerate the phase out of operational oil and gas wells within the protection zone, but this analysis shows that the counts of wells transitioning from active to idle or plugged and abandoned well status will be increased. At the face level, about 2% of the wells within the protection zone receive rework permits each year, based on a ten year average. This translates to the elimination of rework operations for 500 wells per year. Additionally it is likely that this count will decrease proportionally with the counts of active wells within the protection zone. Of importance, the implementation of SB1137 may at some point have the side effect of increasing the count of idle wells in the state. Without proper regulation to guide operators to plug these inoperable wells, many of these wells in need of a rework may instead end up in idle well management plans and eventually on California’s orphan wells list. Wellsites are more likely to leak and become sources of hazardous air toxics and environmental contamination with neglect. Policies need to be in place to require operators to plug any wells that become idle within the protection zone.

The production focused portion of this analysis shows that the protection zone for rework permits will likely reduce extraction volumes within the protection zone at a marginal level. The amount of potential or future production that may be eliminated from wells that do not receive reworks within the protection zone was deduced. Measures of production increases following rework operations can be considered equivalent to the theoretical loss of increased production resulting from denying rework permits in the protection zone. Under the assumption that while reworks are necessary for the safe resumption of maximum production for a well, operators are likely to continue producing from a well even if it needs a rework. Preventing rework operations would therefore eliminate the subsequent increase in the volume of production from wells following rework operations.

As reworks permits are denied and if reworks continue at historical rates, the potential loss of future production is likely to be equal to the historical increase in production from wells that have received reworks in the past. Based on this assumption, California could experience an estimated reduction in oil production of about 2,400 MBbls per year from current production levels (2021). This represents an annual 7.1% reduction in production from within the protection zone, which represents 1.75% of oil production statewide. This percentage is likely to decrease steeply over time as operators prioritize reworks for higher producing wells. As higher producing wells are idled and removed from the sample population, they will comprise a smaller proportion of the total.

This report also finds that while there was an immediate increase in production following rework operations, the rework operations did little or nothing to sustain the increased production. Increases in production were short lived and the majority of production volumes declined back to normal (equivalent to their prior production averages) within a three year period. Additionally, wells that received reworks reported production declines at faster rates than those that did not receive rework permits. These comparisons are interesting, because they show that rates of production decline for wells that receive reworks are accelerated. The rework operation permits do not increase the percentage of wells remaining active. Rather rework operations are more regularly issued to wells that are more likely to end production sooner. The small 1.7% increase in production is not worth the additional expenditures of fossil fuels and energy resources necessary for the reworks, or the increased risk of additional community exposures to air toxics. Preventing operators from conducting rework operations within the health protection zones is a common sense public health intervention due to its low cost to the oil and gas industry. It would provide substantial public health protections and has a minimal impact on production.

The results of this analysis show that the policy proposed in SB1137 of denying rework permits will put high risk wells on a track for early retirement. These wells are more likely to have an accelerated production decline, and therefore a shortened production lifespan as it is. Removing the ability for wells to receive reworks will have the added benefit of accelerating well retirement for troublesome wells. This will reduce the typical drawn out production decline curve time frames that have allowed wells to change ownership and has resulted in tens of thousands of stripper wells evading inclusion in idle well management plans. Plugging these wells earlier instead of granting emissions exemptions will reduce the counts of marginally producing wells at risk of becoming orphaned in the near future and will improve the local and regional air quality for frontline communities. This is a sensible tradeoff as the data shows that denying rework permits will have a small impact on production within the protection zone, which is a minimal amount of overall statewide production.

References & Where to Learn More

Implications of a 3,200-Foot Setback in California by Kyle Ferrar, FracTracker Alliance (April 2022)
Information and documents related to current rulemaking efforts by the California Department of Conservation
“Public Health and Safety Risks of Oil and Gas Facilities in Los Angeles County” by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (February 2018)

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An Open-FF analysis reveals how comprehensive regulatory and reporting reforms are imperative to closing holes in FracFocus data and holding the oil and gas industry accountable for its impacts.

FracTracker Alliance, 2024

Mapping PFAS Chemicals Used in Fracking Operations in West Virginia

March 29, 2024

0 Comments

FracTracker mapped data for a report by Physicians for Social Responsibility that sheds light on the oil and gas industry’s use of hazardous “forever chemicals” in West Virginia.

Chevron’s $2.3 Billion Asset Adjustment Raises Questions Amidst Regulatory Changes in California

March 7, 2024

0 Comments

Information disclosed in Chevron’s 2023 Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 10-K filed on February 26, 2024, suggests Chevron was hoping to eventually offload its idle wells to a limited liability company to avoid the cost of properly decommissioning its wells in California.

Ross incinerator in Eaton Township. Photo by Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2023

Stop Toxic Threat: A Heavy Industrial Zoning Battle

February 7, 2024

0 Comments

The Norfolk Southern train derailment in February 2023 ignited a battle for public health, safety, and welfare over 100 miles away in Eaton Township, Ohio.

Ross Environmental Hazardous Waste Incinerator in Eaton Township, Ohio. Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2023

East Palestine Warning: The Growing Threat From Hazardous Waste Storage

February 1, 2024

0 Comments

Is the gradual increase in hazardous waste storage and incineration expansion in Eaton Township, Ohio, fueling a preventable future disaster?

FracTracker Alliance, 2024

Index of Oil and Gas Operator Health in California Shows Risks to State Economy and Taxpayers

January 30, 2024

0 Comments

Though a handful of California of oil and gas operators continue to produce profitable volumes of oil, the majority of California operators, including the state’s oil and gas major corporations, Chevron, Aera Energy, and California Resources Corporation, are producing very low average volumes of oil per well.

Property in Belmont County, Ohio, vacated due to nearby drilling activity.

The cottage along Slope Creek, months after being vacated due to health concerns caused by nearby oil and gas operations. Photo courtesy of Chloe Mankin

Calling for Change: Life on the Fracking Frontlines

January 12, 2024

0 Comments

Frontline residents of the Ohio River Valley have first-hand experience of the impacts of fracking.

On the Wrong Track: Risks to Residents of the Upper Ohio River Valley From Railroad Incidents

December 14, 2023

1 Comment

Report finds risks to residents of the Upper Ohio River Valley as a result of an average of over four rail incidents per week in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Matt Kelso, FracTracker Alliance, 2023

Digital Atlas: Exploring Nature and Industry in the Raccoon Creek Watershed

November 16, 2023

Digital atlas of Pennsylvania's Raccoon Creek unveils a comprehensive exploration of the watershed, emphasizing its ecological richness, recreational offerings, and the multifaceted impacts of industrial activities.

Why Do Houses Keep Exploding in One Pennsylvania Suburb?

November 9, 2023

An exploration of factors related to oil and gas activity that could contribute to the history of house explosions in Plum Borough, Pennsylvania.

FracTracker Alliance Releases Statement Opposing Governor Shapiro’s Agreement With CNX

November 7, 2023

0 Comments

FracTracker Alliance Executive Director Shannon Smith releases statement in opposition to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's agreement with natural gas company CNX.

Oil and Gas Activity Within California Public Health Protection Zones

October 4, 2023

0 Comments

Assessment shows hundreds of sensitive receptor sites located within 3,200 feet of operational oil and gas wells in California would have been protected if California Senate Bill 1137 had not been challenged by referendum.

Assessment of Oil and Gas Well Ownership Transfers in California

May 18, 2023

A report by FracTracker Alliance finds that more comprehensive bonding requirements are necessary to protect the state of California from being left financially accountable for the plugging and abandonment of tens of thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells.

Evaluation of the Capacity for Water Recycling for Colorado Oil and Gas Extraction Operations

May 2, 2023

A report by FracTracker Alliance finds Colorado’s oil and gas industry has produced enough wastewater statewide to completely satisfy the current and past needs of source water for hydraulic fracturing completions.

Sarah Carballo, FracTracker Alliance, 2022

Evidence Shows Oil and Gas Companies Use PFAS in New Mexico Wells

April 27, 2023

A new report released by Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) in April 2023 reveals that oil and gas companies have been using PFAS, a class of extremely toxic and persistent chemicals, in New Mexico since at least 2013.

CalGEM Permit Review Q1 2023: Well Rework Permits Increase by 76% in California

April 14, 2023

In Q1 2023, the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) gave out 896 rework permits to oil companies. More than half of these permits were for wells located within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, or healthcare facilities.

Tennessee Pipeline Incident by Ted Auch, 2022, with support from LightHawk.

Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2022

2022 Pipeline Incidents Update: Is Pipeline Safety Achievable?

February 1, 2023

1 Comment

This analysis provides a top-level summary of pipeline incidents reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and examines whether or not safe oversight of the industry is possible.

Oil refinery in Toledo, OH. Photo by Ted Auch.

Testimony On EPA’s Proposed Methane Pollution Standards for the Oil and Gas Industry

January 31, 2023

FracTracker Alliance supports strong federal methane rules and urges further improvements that are needed to curb dangerous methane emissions.

Assessment of Rework Permits on Oil Production from Operational Wells Within the 3,200-Foot Public Health Protection Zone

January 24, 2023

This analysis shows that the policy proposed in SB 1137 of denying rework permits within the health protection zones is a commonsense public health intervention that would have minimal effects on production within the protection zone.

CalGEM Permit Review Q4 2022: Oil Permit Approvals Show Steep Rise Within Protective Buffer Zones

January 18, 2023

During the fourth quarter of 2022, California regulator CalGEM issued oil and gas operators 222 new drilling permits, an increase of over 750% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. Of those, nearly half (100; 47%) were for wells located within the 3,200’ public health setback zone.

Stacked pipes used in constructing oil and gas pipelines

A Contentious Landscape of Pipeline Build-outs in the Eastern US

November 30, 2022

1 Comment

In this article, we’ll feature four contentious pipeline build-outs in the Eastern United States, show ways in which those pipelines impact natural and human communities, and provide examples of how environmental advocates have challenged these projects, with varying degrees of success.

Major Gas Leak Reveals Risks of Aging Gas Storage Wells in Pennsylvania

November 30, 2022

Following an enormous gas leak in Jackson Township, Cambria County Pennsylvania, we mapped oil and gas storage wells and fields throughout the state and found that the majority of Pennsylvania’s storage wells were drilled prior to 1979, making them most vulnerable to well failures.

Coursing Through Gasland: A Digital Atlas Exploring Natural Gas Development in the Towanda Creek Watershed

November 23, 2022

This digital atlas exploring natural gas development in the Towanda Creek watershed is the fourth in a series of FracTracker Alliance watershed impact analyses in the Susquehanna River Basin.

Falcon Pipeline Online, Begins Operations Following Violations of Clean Streams Law

November 17, 2022

The Shell ethane cracker in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and Falcon Pipeline begin operations following civil penalties from Pennsylvania regulators for violations of the Clean Streams Law.

Synopsis: Risks to the Greater Columbus Water Supply from Oil and Gas Production

October 31, 2022

1 Comment

A white paper by Columbus Community Rights Coalition (CCRC) will inform resident stakeholders of risks to the water associated with oil & gas production activities occurring within their watershed region of Columbus, Ohio.

Desalination: The Chemical Industry’s Demand for Water in Texas

September 19, 2022

Desalination facilities proposed by the petrochemical industry in Texas could significantly impact fragile Gulf Coast ecosystems.

Take Action in Support of No New Leases

September 6, 2022

The federal government is accepting comments on a 5-Year Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Program. We need your voice to join in solidarity with communities in the Gulf and the Arctic and call for no new leases.

Abandoned Infrastructure in Keene, North Dakota. Photo by David Nix.

Carbon Capture and Storage: Developments in the Law of Pore Space in North Dakota

August 31, 2022

The interplay between the rights of the owner of the surface estate and the rights of the mineral estate have recently become the subject of both legislation and litigation as the use of subsurface pore space by various energy industries has developed at an increasingly rapid pace in North Dakota.

Carbon Capture and Storage: Industry Connections and Community Impacts

August 31, 2022

Industries that stand to capitalize on the proliferation of carbon capture and storage are aggressively pursuing its development despite its wide-ranging risks and diminishing returns for communities across the U.S.

Carbon Capture and Storage: Fact or Fiction?

August 31, 2022

Extractive industry uses propaganda to protect private profits at the expense of the public interest. According to the evidence, there is reason to believe that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one such scheme.

Pipeline Right-of-Ways: Making the Connection between Forest Fragmentation and the Spread of Lyme Disease in Southwestern Pennsylvania

August 22, 2022

1 Comment

While many ecological factors may contribute to the spread of Lyme disease, two of the most significant factors are believed to be climate change and forest fragmentation. This study assesses the role that different pipeline construction proxies play in the change in average annual Lyme disease rate in Pennsylvania counties from 2001 to 2019.

FracTracker Finds Widespread Hydrocarbon Emissions from Active & Idle Oil and Gas Wells and Infrastructure in California

August 22, 2022

1 Comment

FracTracker inspections of oil and gas infrastructure using an optical gas imaging camera found numerous sources of uncontrolled emissions in three California counties.

California Regulators Approve More Oil Well Permits Amid a Crisis of Leaking Oil Wells that Should be Plugged

July 29, 2022

FracTracker’s in-the-field inspections and updated analysis of CalGEM permit data shows that California’s regulatory practices and permitting policies risk exposing frontline communities to VOCs from oil and gas well sites.

Map of potential carbon capture technology

An Insider Take on the Appalachian Hydrogen & CCUS Conference

June 23, 2022

Reflections on the Appalachian Hydrogen and Carbon Capture conference, and how companies hope to use new tech to prolong fossil fuel dependence

Does Hydrogen Have a Role in our Energy Future?

June 21, 2022

There has been increasing focus on using hydrogen gas as a fuel, but most hydrogen is currently formed from methane, which could lead to more fracking.

Oil and Gas Brine in Ohio

May 13, 2022

2 Comments

A hazardous byproduct of oil & gas operations, called “brine," poses a problem because of its radioactivity and the volumes produced.

PA Environment Digest Blog: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Dispose Of Drill Cuttings By ‘Dusting’

May 3, 2022

2 Comments

David Hess reports on the pervasive & dangerous practice of waste disposal at oil and gas well drilling sites via “dusting.”

Real Talk on Pipelines

April 28, 2022

This story map contains audio clips and quotes from local officials and residents on the impacts of oil & gas pipelines in their communities.

TedAuch_Infrastructure-Compressor_Cryogenic_Complex-MarkWest_EnergyTransfer-WashingtonCounty-PA_Sept2021 feature

2021 Production from Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Wells

April 28, 2022

1 Comment

FracTracker has released an analysis of Pennsylvania's 2021 oil and gas production totals and the impacts of orphaned and abandoned wells.

Mapping Energy Systems Impacted by the Russia-Ukraine War

April 20, 2022

1 Comment

This story map explores how the West's failure to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is funding Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Dimock residents working to protect water from a new threat: fracking waste

April 11, 2022

2 Comments

Sen. Muth and Dimock, PA residents are fighting a permitted Eureka Resource Susquehanna facility that puts their water at risk.

This photo is of oil drilling in the Inglewood Oilfields of Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles. Photo by Brook Lenker, 2017.

Implications of a 3,200-foot Setback in California

April 6, 2022

California is the only major oil state without a health and safety setback from fossil fuel activity. This article explores what a setback in California means for its people and environment.

New Trends in Drilling Permit Approvals Take Shape in CA

March 15, 2022

2 Comments

FracTracker's recent analysis finds that California's drilling permit approvals have slowed since last October, but not across the board. This trend only applies to permits for new drilling and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) wells.

Oil and Gas Drilling in California Legislative Districts

March 14, 2022

FracTracker has been working with grassroots organizations to inform legislators and locals about oil and gas extraction in their districts, including maps and tables of the infrastructure in their areas.

New Report: Fracking with “Forever Chemicals” in Colorado

January 31, 2022

1 Comment

A report by PSR provides evidence that oil and gas companies have been using dangerous PFAS "forever chemicals" in CO wells.

Oil and gas wells and violations in Pennsylvania through 1/12/2022.

Introducing: FracTracker’s comprehensive new Pennsylvania map!

January 20, 2022

4 Comments

FracTracker's new Pennsylvania oil and gas well map displays conventional and unconventional wells and violations as of January 12, 2022.

New Letter from Federal Regulators Regarding how the Falcon has Been Investigated

December 1, 2021

FracTracker received a letter from federal regulators with news on Shell's Falcon Pipeline investigation, but many concerns still remain.

US Army Corps Muskingum Watershed Plan ignores local concerns of oil and gas effects

December 1, 2021

2 Comments

Local stakeholders' concerns about the environmental and health impacts of oil and gas in the Muskingum Watershed of Ohio have been minimized or excluded by the US Army Corps' environmental assessment.

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

November 9, 2021

2 Comments

FracTracker details the disproportionate amounts of water used by the oil and gas industry in CA and recommends that Gov. Newsom take action.

Southeastern Texas Petrochemical Industry Needs 318 Billion Gallons of Water, but the US EPA Says Not So Fast

November 5, 2021

The US EPA is moving to turn off the tap to Texas’ petrochemical operators that are demanding exorbitant water quantities where there are none.

Chickahominy Pipeline project tries to exploit an apparent regulatory loophole

November 1, 2021

Local communities are skeptical of the Chickahominy Pipeline company, which plans to build a supply line through five Virginia counties. With no track record and very little experience in pipeline construction, the company's capacity to take on this project is questionable.

Map Update on Criminal Charges Facing Mariner East 2 Pipeline

October 29, 2021

2 Comments

FracTracker mapped the 21 locations and over 120 violations by Energy Transfer Partner since Mariner East 2 Pipeline construction began.

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.

Infrastructure Networks in Texas

September 14, 2021

This map illustrates infrastructure networks in Texas and explores how these unseen webs connect us and improve lives, but also carry risks and burdens.

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.

FracTracker map of proposed Renovo, PA power plant

New power plant proposal called senseless and wasteful by climate groups

August 26, 2021

Residents and local advocacy groups are fighting a new power plant in Renovo, PA, planned to be constructed on an abandoned rail yard.

Ongoing Safety Concerns over Shell’s Falcon Pipeline

August 24, 2021

Ohio River Valley Groups react to a new safety warning issued by federal regulators to Shell regarding the troubled Falcon Pipeline

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.

The world is watching as bitcoin battle brews in the US

August 2, 2021

15 Comments

If Gov. Cuomo wants to lead the nation on climate, he has to address the impacts of proof of work cryptocurrency mining industry in New York.

Lycoming Watershed Digital Atlas

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.

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.

Mapping PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Oil & Gas Operations

July 15, 2021

2 Comments

FracTracker Alliance released a new map identifying the locations of over 1,200 oil and gas wells using toxic “forever chemicals” in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming.

Updated National Energy and Petrochemical Map

June 30, 2021

1 Comment

We first released this map in February of 2020. In the year since, the world’s energy systems have experienced record changes. Explore the interactive map, updated by FracTracker Alliance in April, 2021.

Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania Fracking Story Map

June 11, 2021

FracTracker’s aerial survey of unconventional oil & gas infrastructure and activities in northeast PA to southern OH and central WV

Ohio & Fracking Waste: The Case for Better Waste Management

June 3, 2021

Insights on Ohio’s massive fracking waste gap, Class II injection well activity, and fracking waste related legislation

Pennsylvania Conventional Well Map Update

May 27, 2021

There are over 100,000 active conventional wells in PA, with more permitted each year. Most are unplugged, posing serious threats to the climate.

EPA

Impacts of 2020 Colonial Pipeline Rupture Continue to Grow

May 26, 2021

In August 2020, the Colonial Pipeline ruptured, spilling an estimated 1.2 million gallons of gasoline—18 times more than originally reported.

Jared Durelle

Gas Storage Plan vs. Indigenous Rights in Nova Scotia

May 20, 2021

6 Comments

The Mi’kmaq First Nations people are facing threats to their lands and water due to plans in Nova Scotia proposed by AltaGas.

Mapping Gathering Lines in Bradford County, Pennsylvania

May 19, 2021

2 Comments

FracTracker mapped gathering lines in Bradford County, PA. Public data on gathering lines are incomplete, leaving us to fill in the gaps.

Trends in fracking waste coming to New York State from Pennsylvania

April 20, 2021

2 Comments

Over the past decade, New York State has seen a steep decline in the quantity of waste products from the fracking industry sent to its landfills for disposal. Explore FracTracker's 2020 updated data.

2021 Pipeline Incidents Update: Safety Record Not Improving

April 14, 2021

The map below shows 6,950 total incidents since 2010, translating to 1.7 incidents per day. Pipelines are dangerous, in part because regulation around them is ineffective.

New York State Oil & Gas Well Drilling: Patterns Over Time

April 1, 2021

5 Comments

In this article, we look specifically at spatial and temporal patterns in oil and gas drilling across New York State.

Risky Byhalia Connection Pipeline Threatens Tennessee & Mississippi Health, Water Supply

March 17, 2021

2 Comments

The proposed Byhalia Connection pipeline project is situated in a particularly problematic intersection where environmental justice, hydrology, geology, and risks to human and environmental health intersect.

Shell’s Falcon Pipeline Under Investigation for Serious Public Safety Threats

March 17, 2021

Shell’s Falcon Pipeline, which is designed to carry ethane to the Shell ethane cracker in Beaver County, PA for plastic production, has been under investigation by federal and state agencies, since 2019.

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.

FracTracker Alliance, 2021

Pennsylvania’s Waste Disposal Wells – A Tale of Two Datasets

February 26, 2021

VIEW MAP & DATA Overview Access to reliable data…

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.

Oil and Gas Wells on California State Lands

February 12, 2021

The fossil fuel industry has historically taken advantage of…

Industrial Impacts in Michigan: A Photo Essay & Story Map

January 29, 2021

Southwest Detroit and neighboring South Rockwood in Monroe County…

People and Production: Reducing Risk in California Extraction

December 17, 2020

2 Comments

Executive Summary New research shows that low-income communities…

Documenting emissions from new oil and gas wells in California

November 18, 2020

Working with the environmental nonprofit Earthworks,…

Energy Security, International Investment, and Democracy in the US Shale Oil & Gas Industry

October 15, 2020

FracTracker in the Field: Building a Live Virtual Map

August 14, 2020

August 19, 2020 Update: The virtual story map is live! In…

The Loyalsock Watershed Project

…

Mapping gathering lines in OH and WV feature

Mapping Gathering Lines in Ohio and West Virginia

July 2, 2020

As a spring 2020 intern with FracTracker, my work mostly involved…

Oil & Gas waste tank operated by SWEPI and Enervest at the Hayes pad, Otsego County, Michigan May 21st, 2016

The North Dakota Shale Viewer Reimagined: Mapping the Water and Waste Impact

June 18, 2020

2 Comments

We updated the FracTracker North Dakota Shale Viewer with current…

Falcon Pipeline Construction Releases over 250,000 Gallons of Drilling Fluid in Pennsylvania and Ohio

June 16, 2020

Part of the Falcon Public Environmental Impact Assessment - a…

Systematic Racism in Kern County Oil and Gas Permitting Ordinance

June 8, 2020

Kern County, California has approved at least 18,356 illegal…

Fracking Water Use in Pennsylvania Increases Dramatically

May 29, 2020

1 Comment

Unconventional wells in Pennsylvania were always resource-intensive,…

North Brooklyn Pipeline demographics map

New Yorkers mount resistance against North Brooklyn Pipeline

May 18, 2020

3 Comments

By Kim Fraczek (Sane Energy Project), with input and mapping…

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…

California Setback Analyses Summary

April 2, 2020

2 Comments

FracTracker Alliance has conducted numerous spatial analyses…

Compressor station within Loyalsock State Forest, PA.

Air Pollution from Pennsylvania Shale Gas Compressor Stations – REPORT

March 19, 2020

Air pollution from Pennsylvania shale gas compressor stations…

New York State Oil & Gas Wells – 2020 Update

March 11, 2020

4 Comments

We’ve recently updated the New York State Oil and Gas Well…

National Energy and Petrochemical Map

February 28, 2020

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!

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

1 Comment

Chevron and other oil and gas companies in western Kern County…

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…

destroyed home following pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA

Pipelines Continue to Catch Fire and Explode

February 21, 2020

2 Comments

For the past decade, petroleum operators in the United States…

The Hidden Inefficiencies and Environmental Costs of Fracking in Ohio

January 13, 2020

3 Comments

Ohio continues to increase fracked gas production, facilitated…

Fracking in Pennsylvania: Not Worth It

January 7, 2020

4 Comments

Despite the ever-increasing heaps of violations and drilling…

Photo by Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance

Fracking Threatens Ohio’s Captina Creek Watershed

December 20, 2019

FracTracker's Great Lakes Program Coordinator Ted Auch explores…

California is Frack Free, for the Moment

November 19, 2019

…

How State Regulations Hold Us back and What Other Countries are doing about Fracking

October 10, 2019

3 Comments

While it might be tempting to welcome an industry that often creates a temporary economic spike, the costs of mitigating the environmental damage from fracking far out-weighs the profit gained.