Permanent Sealing of Orphan Wells in Kern County ISMND

The California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) is undertaking the permanent sealing of 18 orphan oil and gas wells located in Kern County, California, as part of its State Abandonment Program. These wells, situated in the Fruitvale, Mountain View, Edison, and Semitropic Oil Fields, along with one isolated well outside an oil field, will be cleaned, plugged with cement and inert mud to the surface, and then capped with the casing cut to five to ten feet below ground level, followed by soil backfilling to restore the site to ground level. All operations will prioritize the use of existing roads and previously disturbed areas to minimize new ground disturbance, though some site access and equipment staging may require limited disturbance. To comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CalGEM has prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) that evaluates potential environmental impacts and outlines mitigation measures to ensure compliance with state regulations, including air quality standards, endangered species protection, cultural resource preservation, and tribal consultation. A site stabilization and lease restoration plan is also in place to return the areas to natural conditions post-decommissioning. The project includes specific operational protocols such as biweekly safety audits, adherence to spill contingency plans under CCR Title 14 Section 1722.9, and daily fire watches during and after operations, with emergency response planning coordinated with state and federal agencies. Work hours are restricted to minimize community disruption, typically limited to 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends, with potential extensions for safety reasons. Inspection and acceptance occur on-site at each well location, with CalGEM retaining oversight authority to verify compliance with technical standards including API practices, California Ambient Air Quality Standards, and biological survey protocols. Environmental mitigation measures are triggered by findings of potential significant impact on biological, cultural, and tribal resources, requiring specific monitoring and reporting. While the project involves detailed environmental and safety planning, no federal contract clauses, pricing data, invoicing systems, or procurement-specific requirements such as small business set-asides, COR/COTR designations, or contract type details are included in the available documentation, indicating this is a state-led environmental remediation effort managed under CEQA authority with contractor support for field execution.