City Hall now hazily estimates that the Culver City Dog Park, closed for almost two months because of a gas and water leak, may reopen in December — but no guarantees or precise dates.
Complications have developed.
After city workers discovered the leak and closed the Dog Park on Sept. 28, the problem was reported to Plains Exploration and Production Company, PXP. Assessing the situation, they determined the leak was occurring on the Block No. 1 well. Although the Atlantic Oil Co. is the legal owner of the Block No. 1 well, PXP volunteered to bear the expected $200,000 in costs to re-abandon that well. PXP began re-abandonment on Nov. 1. The latest guess is the remediation work will be completed Sunday, Nov. 28.
In evaluating the other abandoned wells within the boundaries of the Dog Park, PXP decided to perform a re-abandonment of the Smith No. 5, originally owned by the Block Oil Co. and abandoned in 1929.
While the Smith No. 5 well does not pose an imminent threat to leakage or present a danger to life, health, property or natural resources, according to PXP, its condition would be improved if it could be upgraded to current DOGGR, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resource, abandonment standards.
City staffers, calling PXP’s decision “prudent,” said re-abandonment will help to ensure that there are no future problems resulting from this well that could potentially impact the Dog Park and oil field operations in the surrounding area.
Remediation of the second well is expected to extend the closure of the Dog Park by several weeks. Additional questions should be directed to Charles D. Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer, 310.253.5600.
