On Friday, June 20, 2014, Governor Jerry Brown signed a public resources “trailer bill:” Senate Bill 681 (“SB 681”). Section 5 of the Bill extends the implementation deadline for the Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (“DOGGR”). The initial implementation date was set at January 1, 2015. Under the new law
well stimulation
Department of Conservation Issues Revised, Proposed Well Stimulation Treatment Regulations
On June 13, 2014, the Department of Conservation (“Department”) issued a public notice and posted the latest version of the proposed regulations for the use of well stimulation in oil and gas production (“Revised Proposed Regulations”). These are revisions to the permanent regulations that will go into effect on January 1, 2015. The Revised Proposed Regulations include the following, significant changes:Continue Reading Department of Conservation Issues Revised, Proposed Well Stimulation Treatment Regulations
Updated Status of Oil and Gas-related Bills in California’s Legislature
As discussed in our post on May 5, 2014, there are a number of California State Senate and Assembly bills that could impact oil and gas operations this year, if passed. Friday, May 30 was the last day to pass bills out of their house of origin to the opposite house, the Senate or…
Yet Another Proposed Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing Fails: SB 1132 (Oil and gas: well stimulation treatments)
Yesterday, Senate Bill 1132 failed in the Senate. In a 18-16 vote, SB 1132 fell three votes short of the necessary majority. The bill was introduced by Senators Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and Mark Leno on February 20, 2014, as reported here.
Through amendments to Public Resources Code (“PRC”) §§ 3157, 3160, 3161…
Under Scrutiny from All Sides, Brown Taps Ph.D. in Geology to Lead the DOGGR: What This Means for the Industry and SB 4’s Rollout
At last, the new Supervisor of the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (“DOGGR”) has been announced. Steven Bohlen, currently Program Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will replace recently-retired former Supervisor Tim Kustic. Mr. Bohlen’s background spans numerous academic, teaching, and research positions, including stints at Texas…
Current Status of Oil and Gas-related Bills in California’s Legislature
There are a number of California State Senate and Assembly bills that could impact oil and gas operations this year, if passed. Stoel Rives has a dedicated team of professionals tracking these bills. Below you will find summaries of each piece of oil and gas-related legislation.
SENATE BILLS (Status as of May 2, 2014)
SB…
More Well Stimulation Bans in Southern California
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…
DOGGR Interim Regulations Provide Operators Some Guidance on SB 4 Compliance
California’s Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (“DOGGR”) is moving full-steam ahead in its implementation of SB 4 with its most recent circulation of the SB 4 Interim Well Stimulation Treatment Regulations (“Interim Regulations”). Granted emergency regulatory authority in Pub. Res. Code § 3161(b)(6) (also known as SB 4), DOGGR has…
California Department of Conservation Publishes Notice of Proposed Regulations for Well Stimulation
On November 15, 2013, the California Department of Conservation (“DOC”) published the notice of proposed rulemaking action regarding draft regulations for well stimulation. These proposed regulations will implement SB 4, which Governor Brown on September 20, 2013, and will become effective on January 1, 2014.
The draft regulations supplement the Division of Oil, Gas and…
California Moving Forward with the Implementation of SB 4
Efforts are already underway to implement SB 4, which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on September 20, 2013 (see September 23, 2013 post). The California Department of Conservation (the “Department”) and its Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources have begun developing draft regulations months before the law’s effective date of January 1, 2014. …