Site Assessment/Remedial Action Planning

Padre assisted ExxonMobil and California State Lands Commission with the assessment of the PRC 421-1 and PRC 421-2 piers located in the South Ellwood Oil Field, Goleta, Santa Barbara County, California. The site assessment activities were conducted at the two-shore zone oil pier caisson structures that were ultimately removed from Haskell’s Beach in early 2023. Assessment of petroleum hydrocarbon-containing soil and interstitial water was conducted using hand auger, Geoprobe® direct-push, and test pit excavation methods. The data collected during the site assessment was utilized for project planning and waste management activities as part of decommissioning the two pier caisson structures which marked the end of oil production in the South Ellwood Oil Field.

Additionally, an assessment of an oil seep was conducted on the beach adjacent to the caissons using test-pit excavation methods. The assessment activities were coordinated and scheduled during a negative low tide period to allow access of equipment and crews to an area inundated by the surf zone at high tide. The data collected from these efforts were used to support final well abandonment operations at the site.