Sable Offshore Faces Legal and Regulatory Setbacks After Controversial Restart Near Refugio Spill Site

Sable Offshore Corp. is facing growing legal and regulatory pressure following its decision to restart offshore oil operations near the site of the 2015 Refugio oil spill in Santa Barbara County on the 10th anniversary of the spill. In May, the company restarted its operations, claiming the activities were limited to maintenance and safety checks. Nevertheless, the company faced backlash from community members, lawmakers, as well as environmentalists citing the timing as insensitive.

Highlights

• Sable Offshore Inc. is being subject to production restart delays, environmental scrutiny, and an investor investigation after it attempted to restart its offshore oil production in May.
• The company claims that it was conducting maintenance and safety checks on Platform Harmony.
• In early June, a U.S. District Court ruled that the company had not completed sufficient environmental checks either.

US District Court Ruling Delays Sable’s Efforts; Investor Investigation Initiated

On restarting its offshore oil operations in May, Sable Inc, was subject to growing pushback from many local officials. The Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Department issued notices of violation against the firm, arguing that it lacked appropriate permits to restart operations.

Throughout, Sable maintained their stance of only conducting maintenance operations and safety checks on Platform Harmony, a part of Ellwood Oil Field, formerly owned by ExxonMobil. County officials stated that the activity went beyond the allowable limits without appropriate review.

Matters were further delayed when a US District Court ruling from early June found that the company had not completed an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The review was vital for the reactivation of key onshore pipelines necessary for transporting extracted oil.

In addition to regulatory delays, Sable Offshore is also being subjected to a shareholder investigation. The law firm Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC announced an inquiry into the company’s potential violations of federal securities laws, with a focus on whether the company misled its investors on its operational readiness and legal standing. Investors who have suffered losses are being asked to come forward and help with the investigation.

Scrutiny against the firm has been intensifying on several fronts. The firm’s ability to restart operations faces increasing uncertainty along California’s coastline.