AB 1167 – Senate Floor

Orphan Well Prevention Act

As California’s oil production declines, oil well owners are selling wells to companies that are less likely to be in a financial position to complete the required remediation, significantly increasing the risk that the well becomes “orphaned,” with no viable entity responsible to complete that process. The cleanup cost will be on taxpayers unless we hold oil well owners responsible. AB 1167 requires a person who acquires the right to operate an oil well or production facility to file with the state a bond in an amount determined by the supervisor of CalGEM, the state’s oil and gas regulator, to be sufficient to cover all costs of plugging, abandonment, and site restoration.

Author: Wendy Carrillo

View Bill

Bill info from the legislature

Issues: Eliminating Toxins and Pollution

Signed into Law

Status:

Signed into Law

Assembly:

43 Yes
18 No
19 Abstain

Senate:

21 Yes
11 No
8 Abstain

Governor:

Signed