Aliso Canyon

With three natural gas transmission pipelines down and Aliso Canyon underground gas storage operations limited, an updated assessment of winter energy supplies issued Tuesday indicated the Southern California region faces greater uncertainty than a year ago, with gas curtailments to large industrial users more likely.

During the first two weeks that Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) began reinjection operations at its troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility, the company discovered a gradual pressure buildup at 13 of the 39 injection wells that had been brought back online.

California’s grid operator has scheduled a stakeholders conference call for Thursday to discuss the draft proposed tariff for implementing the second phase of the state’s natural gas-electric coordination plans assuming continued closure of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field.

Imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and increased in-state production, are among the possible substitutes during the coming winter for the continued limitations at California’s largest gas storage facility.

Fresh from the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage leak, Los Angeles now is contending with continuing concerns about a Freeport McMoRan Inc. (FCX) wellsite that has been reactivated adjacent to a environmental studies magnet school southwest of downtown.

Residents living in the area adjacent to the Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) underground natural gas storage field, where a two-month-old leak has forced many to relocate, have asked state oil and gas regulators to shut down the facility.