Sable expects to restart offshore California oil pipeline by year-end
(WO) — Pacific Pipeline Company (PPC), a subsidiary of Sable Offshore Corp., has been actively maintaining its Line 324/325 (formerly Lines 901/903) since its shutdown in 2015. The pipeline was evacuated, cleaned, and preserved with inert nitrogen to prevent corrosion.
Under a 2020 Consent Decree signed by federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, along with various California state agencies, PPC launched a comprehensive repair and maintenance program aimed at restoring the pipeline to “as-new” condition.
Before beginning this program, PPC conducted a thorough assessment of the pipeline's internal and external conditions using advanced pipeline integrity analysis equipment. The results set the repair criteria necessary to comply with the Consent Decree's stringent requirements.
PPC commenced repair work in 2024 within the existing pre-disturbed pipeline right of way. While the Consent Decree mandates the repair of approximately 150 threshold anomalies in the pipeline wall, PPC has repaired or is in the process of addressing around 100 anomalies, with another 50 repairs planned along the 124-mile pipeline to achieve “as-new” status. PPC has more than 30 predominantly union pipeline repair crews actively engaged in this work and is coordinating with landowners and government agencies for a successful completion, with plans to restart the pipeline by the end of 2024.
The California Coastal Commission (CCC) has requested further information about PPC's operations. PPC is currently collaborating with CCC staff to address these requests. In the meantime, PPC has redirected its crews to other areas of the pipeline complex to continue necessary repairs and maintenance while adhering to the rigorous safety requirements outlined in the Consent Decree. This will culminate in a complete hydrotest of the pipeline to verify it meets “as-new” standards before oil and gas production can resume. These tests will be conducted under the supervision of federal and California state agencies to ensure compliance with the Consent Decree's strict standards.
