Socalgas

Mirroring requirements laid out by state agencies, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Thursday outlined plans for ensuring the integrity of the now-closed Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field, which it hopes to reopen by late summer.

A California regulatory judge’s proposed decision Tuesday rejects longstanding plans for a $600 million large-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline link in Southern California Gas Co.’s (SoCalGas) system, and the closure of SoCalGas’ Aliso Canyon underground gas storage facility was cited as a factor.

California air quality regulators have issued a proposed climate impacts mitigation program to counteract the climate change setback from the four-month Aliso Canyon natural gas storage well leak. Aliso operator Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) now finds itself at odds with stakeholders and news media alike.

California regulators on Friday ordered Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) to apply six separate tests to each of the 114 storage wells at its now shuttered 86 Bcf-capacity Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage field on the far northern fringe of Los Angeles. All the tests need to be completed before injections can resume at the state’s largest gas storage facility.

Further signs appeared Friday that California intends to pay closer attention to its myriad of natural gas underground storage facilities, as state regulators levied civil penalties for gas venting against an ongoing oil producer at Southern California Gas Co.’s (SoCalGas) now closed Aliso Canyon storage field, where a four-month-long well leak ended last month (see Daily GPI, Feb. 18).

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Thursday released the results of indoor air testing in homes nearest its Aliso Canyon underground gas storage field in Los Angeles and concluded methane levels are now “well below” environmental screening values. In addition, the homes were found to be free of the natural gas odorant mercaptan.

Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) unit announced Friday that it will be sampling the indoor air quality for methane and mercaptans in homes near the Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage facility that was closed in the aftermath of a four-month storage well leak that ended last month (see Daily GPI, Feb. 18).

Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) confirmed Friday that it has accelerated its promised inspection of 115 storage wells using infrared technology at its closed Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage field.

While the headlines and costs of a four-month natural gas storage well leak that ended last month concentrated on nearly 10,000 residents who decided to leave their homes in the upscale Porter Ranch section of the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley, the majority of residents stayed put in the area of the Aliso Canyon underground gas storage field.