Excavation to Begin on Next Phase of Summerland Oil Well Cleanup

Treadwell #10 underwater with topside view of the well (inset) as it looked in the 1930s

Source: Heal the Ocean

During the week of February 10, 2019, exploratory excavation work will begin on oil wells leaking onto Summerland Beach, as part of the planning for capping up to three more wells on and off the beach – including the notorious Treadwell #10 offshore well (pictured above). The actual capping work will take place during the months of June/July 2020. State Lands Commission staff notified Heal the Ocean of its progress report to the State Legislature, “Coastal Hazards and Legacy Oil and Gas Well Removal and Remediation Program,” which it presented in December 2019 as preparation for this next phase of the cleanup.

An EIR addendum for the project was filed by State Lands earlier this month (January 2020) to prepare for the upcoming work, which is being mapped out by InterAct engineers with the help of HTO Advisory Board member Harry Rabin whose On the Wave Production Company has been a technological boost to the InterAct engineers in accurately pinpointing wellheads. State Lands Commission staff tells HTO that it expects to soon solicit a qualified oil and gas engineering contractor to execute the actual plug and abandonment work for the Treadwell #10, Olsson #805, and Duquesne #910 wells.

Heal The Ocean is one of the few non-profits in Santa Barbara County to consistently earn the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, which means your dollars go straight to our programs, from Summerland oil capping, styrofoam recycling, septic-to-sewer work, and groundwater protection, to providing Santa Barbara city and county parks with doggy bags ($30,000 in 2019 alone!). To support Heal the Ocean's work, click here.