The Los Angeles City Council voted to ban well stimulation treatments within city limits by a unanimous vote in February, and is in the process of drafting ordinances to put that decision into effect. Carson, California has temporarily halted all oil and gas activity (including all new drilling and any well stimulation treatments) in response to a project proposal that once considered the use of well stimulation but had removed such operations from the project scope.
Now the Beverly Hills City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance to ban well stimulation treatments within its city limits, which could impact production within the Beverly Hills Oil Field. The draft ordinance also regulates the use of horizontal drilling, and no well stimulation treatments could be used within city limits, even if the initial drill site is outside the city limits. A second reading of the proposed ordinance at the next formal city council meeting, which is currently scheduled for May 6, 2014, will be the last official step before the law goes into effect.