healtheocean
Source: Heal the Ocean
The August hearing date originally set by the California Coastal Commission to consider the permit for the capping of the next set of leaking Summerland oil wells is now set for Friday, September 11, 2020.
The rescheduling was necessary because of a revised plan reconfigured by the State Lands Commission engineers, InterAct, to accomplish the well capping(s) without the use of the cofferdam, a big metal tube that is sunk around the wellhead to provide space inside for contractors to work, and also to catch any escaping oil.
Using a different method involving the sinking of pipes would allow for faster work at less cost – which means at least one more well could be remedied during the one operation under the permit. The new issue for the CCC was the potential escape of more oil, but the engineers spelled out what little amount there would be, and their use of booms to catch anything escaping.
HTO Advisor Harry Rabin, who worked with the engineers to sort out the process, produced a memo for HTO to explain the procedure to be used (diagram at top of this story). Click here for Harry’s report, which explains what will happen.
The great payoff of this revise is that capping one more well would reduce the amount of oil going into the ocean from that well – every day – as compared to what might escape during the operation. CCC staff is recommending approval. Read the staff report here, and then e-mail the commission your vote of support here.
In your subject line, and at the top of your e-mail, insert Public Comment on September 2020 Agenda Item Friday 15a – Application No. 9-20-0268 (State Lands Commission, Santa Barbara Co.)
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