Essence of the PXP Plan
In its application to Sacramento to gain approval for the ambitious new project, Texas-based PXP formally described its intentions and goals:
“PXP proposes to drill a total of 24 oil and gas wells with a mobile drilling rig in an existing, currently producing oilfield.” The site is known as the Inglewood Oilfield, tucked into the Baldwin Hills, east of Culver City. The oilfield has been in operation for 82 years, and more than 1,600 wells have been drilled on the property that is in unincorporated territory. In its summary that was mailed to some homes and groups, PXP acknowledged a danger. “While it is recognized that the activities will be conducted within the confines of the existing Inglewood oilfield, it is also recognized that there are residences and businesses adjacent to the oilfield that could be adverse affected” — which, of course, has been the point of the vigorous protest from Culver Crest.
Here are 10 mitigation measures identified by PXP that, Mr. Rish said, have been addressed:
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance reduces the intensity of oil drilling operations, and requires that drilling operations be limited to no more than one and a half oil rigs at a time, averaged over the life of the ordinance.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires site plan review for any well to be located within 1,000 feet of any residential dwelling within Culver City; the site plan review process requires compliance with enhanced standards to screen the new drill site from nearby residences.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires site plan review for any well to be located within the Culver City Viewshed (that is, within view of a Culver City residence);the site plan review process requires compliance with enhanced standards to screen the new drill site from Culver City.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires site plan review for any deep well penetrating the Nodular Shale; the site plan review process requires compliance with enhanced standards to ensure that odor, noise and vibrations will not adversely affect nearby residences.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires that enhanced landscaping be planted, to screen the oil wells from view.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires that drill sites be landscaped with appropriate vegetation after drilling is complete, to enhance views of the oilfield.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires that oil wells be painted or otherwise surfaced with a color compatible with the natural surroundings.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires that oil wells be designed, and/or housed and operated so that odors, noise and vibrations are limited.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires enhanced monitoring and recording equipment of hydrogen sulfide and combustible gases.
- “The Interim Urgency Ordinance requires the operator to notify appropriate regulatory agencies in the event that hydrogen sulfide and combustible gas levels are detected above threshold levels. For hydrogen sulfide, the threshold level has been reduced to one part per million from five parts per million, which is a far stricter standard.”
One-Year Anniversary
Leaders of the extremely active Culver Crest homeowners association said they could not understand the snub in view of what happened one year ago almost to the day. In the predawn hours of last Jan. 10, a foul odor from a drilling site near the new drilling area in the Baldwin Hills wafted onto the Crest. Sleeping residents were driven from their homes for hours. Mr. Rush said he was as baffled as Crest residents by the “accidental” exclusion of Culver Crest from the notification list. The overseeing state agency, the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, in the Dept. of Conservation, drew up the list, with, Mr. Rush said, the help of Los Angeles County and Culver City officials. He said 27 groups were informed of the Dec. 4-Jan. 5 window for comment. Two other neighbors of the project, Ladera Heights and West Los Angeles College, reportedly were not notified either.
