Under strengthened regulations effective April 1, 2019, surface expressions violate state regulations enforced by the Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM). A surface expression can occur when steam injected under pressure to produce oil breaks through natural geologic barriers and comes to the surface. The releases in the Cymric, Midway Sunset, and McKittrick oil fields in Kern County are not near population centers or sources of drinking water. All of the expressions are contained and are clustered in a few areas. CalGEM is collaborating with independent experts from the Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories to investigate the expressions in the Cymric field.
Refer to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) Spill Report for additional information on active surface expressions, including volumes of oil and water released.
Use "Search" to enter the incident number, for example, 19-7291 (numbers available below), for reports.
Note: Page updated June 2022
- Began April 9, 2021 (steam only – no CalOES Spill Report). Stopped April 20, 2021. Aera discovered a steam only surface expression (non-diatomite) on April 9, 2021, in their Coalinga Aztec lease at coordinates 36.23055, -120.37668. Aera subsequently shut in all steam within 600 feet, including the closest well on steam at time of activation, Aztec 728 (019-24333). During the root cause investigation, cause was identified as steam communication through shallow casing holes at well “Aztec" 728 (API No. 019-24333) during a cyclic steam job. The well abandoned on May 6, 2021 and site restored. With root cause identified and remediated, CalGEM has issued return to steam approval under certain conditions as per below.
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CALOES Spill Report 21-1623: Began March 26, 2021. Stopped April 1, 2021. Aera discovered on March 26, 2021, a high energy steam to surface event in Lost Hills (non-diatomite, Tulare/Etchegoin steamflood), approximately. 40 feet north of Well #MD2412-13 (030-63227), approximate. coordinates 35.66413, -119.76941, which was stopped by April 1, 2021. A 600- foot steam block was established and root cause investigation is still ongoing.
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CalOES Spill Report 20-1575: Began March 19, 2020, still active (drains into Gauge Setting 5 collection area). CalGEM is reviewing Chevron's root cause analysis (submitted April 30, 2020) of an oil and water surface expression (Setting #5 03/19/20) reported from a ledge above Gauge Setting 5A on March 19, 2020. The flow ceased March 20 and reactivated March 24. It is active intermittently active. The operator drains the ongoing flow into a containment area protected with berms, netting, and beams.
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CalOES Spill Report 20-1649 / 21-1190: Began February 28, 2020, still active within a berm'd & netted containment area, which is then pipelined to Gauge Setting 5 collection area. This incident is a reactivation of a surface expression from a hillside vent that initially seeped fluid from November 8-30, 2019. That incident is first described in CalOES Spill Report 19-7186. For three weeks, Chevron reported 2020 fluid data in CalOES Spill Report 19-7186. CalGEM required Chevron to create a new spill report for what it considers a new event in 2020. The operator submitted the 20-1649 report on March 23, 2020. It captures fluid data from March 21, 2020, forward. OES 20-1649 has now, as of March 4, 2021, been superseded by a new OES 21-1190 due to file size limitations for a single OES number (max 242 entries). The operator is working on select wells in an effort to interrupt the energy or fluid flows from potential pathways that may be feeding this surface expression and others.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-7291: Began November 13, 2019. Stopped November 14, 2019. Recovered volume: 20 barrels water and oil. Located approximately 120 feet west of March 29, 2018, expression in Gauge Setting 5-D area. Chevron posted danger signage and lights. External company monitoring for any gas emissions. Chevron notified of two vertical cracks on hillside and road above. Operator addressing. Environmental cleanup complete and site restored. .
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CalOES Spill Report 18-2037: Began September 13, 2019. Stopped September 15, 2019. Recovered volume: 1,290 barrels water and oil. Hillside vent in Gauge Setting 5-D area. Area cleaned. Containment remains in place. Seep believed to be reactivation of March 29, 2018, expression. Environmental cleanup complete and site restored.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-5865: Began September 10, 2019. Stopped September 18, 2019. Recovered volume: 350 barrels water and oil. Expression located in in Gauge Setting 5-C area. Expression reactivation of January 4, 2018 seep. Environmental cleanup complete and site restored.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-5407: Began August 21, 2019. Stopped October 15, 2019. Recovered volume: 19,925 barrels water and oil. Environmental cleanup complete and site restored.
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CalOES Spill Report 03-1581 : Began March 23, 2003, still active (drains into Gauge Setting 5 collection area). On June 20, 2019, Chevron reported fluid volumes related to a series of surface expressions from 2018 and earlier that are being directed into the GS-5 separation plant. Since these expressions continue to flow after April 1, 2019, they are in violation of the new April 1, 2019, regulations. CalGEM sent Chevron a Notice of Violation on August 23, 2019, directing the company to stop the expressions.
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CalOES
Spill Report 19-6580: Began October 13, 2019. Stopped October 14, 2019.
Recovered volume: 1,931 barrels water and oil. Hillside vent at northern end of Cymric field. Spill area
cleaned; site cleanup continues.
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CalOES
Spill Report 19-6568: Began October 12, 2019; reactivated with steam and fluid October
15-18; reactivated October 22, intermittently active until stopped November 11,
2019. Recovered volume: 13,160 barrels water and oil.
Located 275 feet east of CalOES Spill Report 19-6386 expression and
294 feet north of CalOES Spill Report 19-6221. Chevron contained flow; lights, danger signs,
and propane cannon (to deter wildlife) installed. External company monitoring for low (thus far) gas
emissions. Environmental cleanup complete and site restored.
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CalOES
Spill Report 19-6386: Began October 3, 2019. Reactivated October 4. Inactive since October
5, 2019. Recovered volume: 1,160 barrels water and oil. Location is 320 feet northwest
of CalOES Spill Report 19-6221 expression and CalOES Spill Report 19-5263 expression.
Environmental cleanup complete and site restored.
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CalOES
Spill Report 19-6221: Began September 26, 2019. Dormant September 29; reactivated twice;
expression inactive since November 18, 2019. Recovered volume: 1 barrel water and oil. Fluid contained
within berm. Located approximately 180 feet northeast of CalOES Spill Report 19-5263
expression.
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CalOES
Spill Report 19-5263: Expression began June 5, 2019. Inactive since August 30, 2019. Recovered
volume: 25 barrels water and oil.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-3668: Began June 8, 2019. Ceased June 12; reactivated June 18. Release from other vent in the vicinity reported June 23. The fluid flowed into a dry streambed. All vents inactive since August 1, 2019. Recovered volume: 31,798 barrels water and oil. Per Cal Spill Watch, site cleanup completed October 11, 2019
- CalGEM Response:
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Order to Chevron to Pay Civil Penalty, October 2, 2019 (PDF)
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Addendum(2), July 17, 2019, to 1Y Notice of Violation (PDF)
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Order to Perform 1Y Remedial Work, July 12, 2019 (PDF)
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Addendum(1), July 1, 2019, to 1Y Notice of Violation (PDF)
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Notice of Violation V19-0016, June 13, 2019 (PDF)
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CalOES Spill Report 19-3040: Expression reported May 10, 2019. Expression inactive same day May 10. Recovered volume: 105 barrels water and oil. High energy expression near Gauge Setting 5 area. Release affected dry, seasonal streambed. Release contained and area cleaned.
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CalOES Spill Report 20-2154: Began April 20, 2020. This surface expression was inactive from May 28, 2020 until becoming intermittently active again on June 21. It has been i nactive since June 26, 2020. Cumulatively, the surface expression has produced 1,530.5 barrels of oil, 3,181 barrels of water, and 415 barrels of mud.
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CalOES Spill Report 20-6113. Began November 3, 2020 (stopped same day). Reactivated December 19, 2020 and January 23, 2021 for short durations. Inactive since January 23, 2021. The original event was discovered, at 2:30 am at coordinates 35.341377252, -119.657706220 with intermittent blows of high energy steam, mud, and ~1 BBL oil released to ground in an oilfield disturbed area, and not affecting any blue-line/sensitive areas. SPR has established a caution area around the site with danger signs installed, and are continuing to monitor with 150- foot steam block implemented as per regulations.
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CalOES Spill Report 20-2763: Began May 24, 2020. Stopped May 27, 2020. Reported volume as of June 1: 70 barrels of water, 16 barrels of oil, 1,614 barrels of mud.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-5656: Began September 1, 2019 (stopped same day). Recovered volume: 10 barrels water and oil.
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Cal OES #20-4392: Began August 15, 2020. Stopped August 20, 2020. A surface expression in the Berry Petroleum-operated Southwestern lease of the Midway Sunset oil field in Kern County was reported at 1 a.m. on August 15, 2020, which was stopped by August 20, 2020. A root cause investigation identified a shallow casing hole in idle well 48- 56 (API No. 0403042139) which served as a conduit to the near surface. This well was subsequently abandoned. With root cause identified and remediated, CalGEM has issued return to steam approval under certain conditions as per below.
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CalOES Spill Report 19-4957 : Began August 1, 2019. Stopped January 15, 2020. Recovered volume: 3,790 barrels water and oil. Cleanup completed. A root cause investigation identified a shallow casing hole in Keene 26 (0403006897) which served as a conduit to the surface. The well has since been abandoned and the site remediated. CalGEM has issued return to steam approval under certain conditions as per below.
- No Cal-OES Spill Report (less than 10 BBLs oil & within containment): Began June 5, 2019. Expression inactive since June 30, 2019. Recovered volume: 29 barrels water and oil.
- No CalOES Report: Began March 12, 2022 and stopped the same day but monitoring continued for 6 – 8 hours. Estimated volume of the release is less than a barrel of fluid. Sentinel Peak Resources reported 03/12/2022 @ 9:23am, surface expression (SE) at the Keene lease in Midway-Sunset field, coordinate lat. 35.12648010 and long. -119.49678802. Sentinel Peak Resource is currently not steaming in this lease / area and the cause of the surface expression is believed or assumed to be due to activity from the neighboring well 44 (API 0403028638), Bull lease in the Midway-Sunset operated by TRC Operating. The assumed well 44 is approximately 108 feet east of the surface expression incident, approximately 948 feet from Sandy creek and well 44 is out of the 600 feet of No-Steam injection area. The surface expression is very low energy and has released less than a barrel of fluids. Sentinel Peak Resources has put earthen berms around the fluid released as a secondary containment. Site inspection was done by CalGEM engineer.
- Began May 16, 2019. Expression stopped same day. Recovered volume: 15 barrels water and oil.
- Began May 28, 2019. Expression stopped same day. Recovered volume: 1 barrel water and oil .
- No CalOES Report: Began March 3, 2022 and stopped the same day. Estimated volume of the release is 0.1 bbl of oil. Berry reported that two wells 0403037287 D-33 0403039004 D-34 started bubbling around the casing at 4:30 pm today. They have put a berm around both wells. They don't have any steam injection in this area, but a nearby lease operated by Sentinel Peak Resources is currently injecting. The closest well (South Cerritos 22) on steam was ~978' and was shut off immediately by Sentinel Peak Resources
- CRC reported on June 10, at 5:45pm low energy surface expression in the section 13 of the Elk Hill oil field. Coordinates lat. 35.227001, long. -119.451599. Release fluid is mainly water with an unknown temperature and unknown volume and no steam or oil released. Incident site is at a close proximity to a water disposal well API- 0403021378 – 77WD-13B. Well has been shut-in as the incident happened. Releases is stable with no active fluid movement inside the sink hole and CRC is monitoring the incident while investigating the cause of the low energy surface expression. CalOES have not been notified. Reviewed the picture sent by CRC and advice to carry out all safety measures to protect wild lives and humans from the sink hole. More information will be provided as receive from CRC
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Cal OES #22-3481: Berry reported on June 20, 2022, a surface expression on the Tidewater Lease in MWSS. Lat/Long: 35.2618895, -119.5844087. First activity reported at around 6:00AM (mud) and it picked up in intensity around 9:00AM (steam vapor). Berry also reported they took surrounding wells (150') off injection. Release is stopped with no active fluid. Berry is monitoring the incident while investigating the cause of the surface expression. Incident location cordoned off for safety reasons.
