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ARCO - Dos Pueblos
ARCO Dos Pueblos pipeline abandonment
route
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What's New
The ARCO Dos Pueblos Pipeline Removal Project was completed in November 2011. The project removed 14 power poles, 60 tons of concrete structures, and 13,185 linear feet (70 tons) of pipeline with all 70 tons of pipeline recycled. Re-vegetation and restoration of the areas impacted by the pipeline removal activities is underway.
Description
This site once housed facilities that
produced and processed oil and gas from
the Elwood
field. Production ceased in 1997
when wells were plugged and abandoned,
and the site's facilities were removed
as part of the ARCO Dos Pueblos Golf
Links project. The removal of the pipeline
is the final step in Phase I, the remediation
stage, of the projectas part of the
ARCO Dos Pueblos Golf Links project.
Location
The ARCO Dos Pueblos pipeline removal
project will take place on the Eagle
Canyon Ranch bluff top on the ocean-side
of U.S. 101, approximately 1.5 miles
west of the Winchester Canyon exit, and
in Tecolote and Bell creek drainages
to the east. The project is bounded on
the west by Eagle Canyon Creek, on the
east by the Venoco EOF, and on the north
by U.S.101.
Arco-Dos Pueblos Map |
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Overhead View of the General Location of ARCO's Dos Pueblos
Golf Links Project |
Cleanup Activities
- Phase 1-B and Phase 2 - CDP Appeal to CCC
The proposed Dos Pueblos Golf Links
project site encompasses approximately
208 acres
and is located on the coastal bluff
5 miles west of Goleta in the County
of Santa Barbara. The project site
was used for oil and gas development
and production by ARCO from 1928 through
1997. A Remedial Action Plan, developed
and to be implemented by ARCO, cites
6,141 square feet of petroleum hydrocarbon
and mercury impacted soils to be removed
prior to construction of the golf
course (Phase 2). The Energy Division
is awaiting the filing of an updated
Remedial Action Plan from ARCO to complete
Phase 1. The Coastal Development Permit
issued by the County granting construction
of the golf course was appealed to
the California Coastal Commission by
The Surfrider Foundation and the Gaviota
Coast Conservancy (GCC) in January
1999 and again in 2002.
- Phase 1-C - Offsite Pipeline Abandonment
In 1996, Arco removed all surface equipment appurtenant to historic
oil processing on the Dos Pueblos site. However, pipelines remain
in place that historically delivered crude
oil produced on the Dos Pueblos property to the Ellwood Oil
and Gas Processing Plant, currently owned and operated by Venoco.
The pipelines extend approximately 1/3 mile, traversing private
properties and creek channels, including: Eagle Canyon Ranch,
Bacara Resort, Tecolote and Bell Creeks.
The pipelines and equipment to be
removed include:
- The remaining above-ground portions of a 6-inch diameter former crude oil transport pipeline running from Dos Pueblos (Makar) property to Bell Creek.
- An abandoned pipeline bundle (5 lines) and associated concrete, metal, and wood pipe supports remaining on the Dos Pueblos property (a distance of approximately 300 feet), Eagle Canyon Ranch (approximately 1/3 mile), and across Eagle Canyon Creek (two metal supports atop wooden beams).
- The remaining above ground portions of a 6-inch diameter former crude oil transport pipeline from Dos Pueblos to Tecolote Creek (located in the City of Goleta),
- A triplex pump, skid and associated piping near the south end of the Venoco Ellwood Onshore Facility (EOF) located at 7979 Hollister Avenue (located in the City of Goleta).
- An old hydrogen sulfide (H2S) alarm panel immediately west of the EOF near the access to Bell Creek (located in the City of Goleta).
The pipelines and equipment to be abandoned in place are:
- Buried segments of the abandoned pipeline outside of the immediate channel of Tecolote Creek (located in the City of Goleta).
- Approximately 800 feet of pipeline that parallels the road west of the EOF fence line, this section will be removed when the EOF is removed (located in the City of Goleta)
- Portion of the O-3 pipeline suspended over Bell Creek and associated concrete supports, this section will be removed when the EOF is removed (located in the City of Goleta).
Past Activities
- Oil and gas processing activity commenced at the ARCO Dos Pueblos
Site in the 1920s and ceased in 1997.
- Arco produced oil and gas from State Leases 208 and 129. The
operation consisted of 38 wells between the two leases as well
as a tank farm area including six tanks and various equipment;
a sales gas and compressor area; sulfacheck area; a gas/chiller
knockout area; and numerous pipelines.
- Formerly, fluids from producing wells were transported via
a lateral pipeline system to the tank farm where oil, water, and
gas were separated.
Oil was routed through a 6-inch pipeline to ARCO's Ellwood Facility
(presently Venoco's EOF) onto Arco's Elwood Marine Terminal (presently
Venoco's EMT). The oil was ultimately barged to local refineries.
- The Arco oil/gas processing site was originally zoned for use
by coastal dependent industry, but was rezoned for agricultural
uses in 1991. The rezone converted the Arco oil and gas processing
site into a legal non-conforming use with the adoption of the
County's South Coast Consolidation Planning Area Policy.
- Following the 1991 Rezone, Arco applied for a Conditional Use
Permit to abandon the oil and gas facilities and construct a golf
course. An Environmental
Impact Report was prepared and the Conditional Use Permit
was issued on August 17, 1993.
- The Surfrider Foundation appealed the County's approval of
the permit to the Coastal Commission, and the Commission approved
the project in February 1995 with a few modifications.
- Abandonment of the oil and gas facilities was subsequently
divided into phases. Phase 1(a) involved abandoning the non-producing
wells and removing above ground equipment. Phase 1(b) consisted
of the abandonment of the remaining wells, onsite pipelines, tanks,
buildings, and completion of a site assessment. Phase 1(c) will
consist of abandonment of all off-site pipelines related to the
Dos Pueblos oil and gas field. Phase 2 comprises the construction
of the Dos Pueblos Golf Links project.
The Energy Division issued coastal development permits
authorizing Phases 1(a) and (b) and Phase 2. Phase
1(c) is currently undergoing environmental review.
Arco completed Phase 1(a) and components of Phase 1(b),
though all of Phase 1(c) and Phase 2 remain.
- The Surfrider Foundation and the
Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC) appealed
County permits to the California Coastal
Commission in January 1999.
- ARCO’s application for a Demolition and Reclamation Permit has been found complete. The permit application proposes to remove the portion of the abandoned pipelines running from the former Dos Pueblos processing site to what is now the Venoco Ellwood Onshore Facility (EOF) remaining in 4 areas: Eagle Canyon Ranch, Eagle Canyon Creek, Tecolote Creek, and Bell Creek.
The County approved the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Demoliton and Reclamation permit for the pipeline removal on Feburary 19, 2010.
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