Los Angeles CA
1-29-2026 10:59pm

Aliso Canyon: 10 Years of Discussion

The Aliso Canyon leak occurred October 23, 2015 over 10 years ago.  Conflicts continue over the solution....yet another leak was discovered January 27th.

While much discussion has focused on the responsibility of Southern California Gas Company, another company, Termo of Long Beach, has stayed out of discussions.  Termo Postpones Drilling in Aliso Canyon - Inside The Valley | Los Angeles Business Journal
"Termo already operates more than 15 wells in Aliso Canyon, and in early 2014 the company proposed to drill an additional dozen wells in the mountains above Porter Ranch, sparking opposition from both residents and city officials. The proposed wells would occupy more than 5 acres of land in Aliso Canyon – which sits on roughly 3,600 acres north of Porter Ranch and Northridge in the Santa Susanna Mountains."

However, in March 2016  ENGLANDER CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF TERMO COMPANY
FOR ILLEGAL RELEASE OF GAS IN ALISO CANYON   The Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) is responsible for regulating the State’s oil and gas operations and investigating potential violations of statute and regulations.
Last week, DOGGR issued a $75,000 civil penalty order to The Termo Company of Long Beach
for illegally venting natural gas in the Aliso Canyon field.

Meanwhile, the Congressional comments range from repetition to itemization of events and responses:

2026 January 27, Congressman Brad Sherman: on Today’s Gas Leak at Aliso Canyon itemizes parties involved in delays to shut down Aliso Canyon

  • Southern California Gas Company has refused to even try to develop a natural gas delivery system that is not dependent upon Aliso Canyon. 
  • California Public Utilities Commission has refused to require the development of a plan to shut Aliso Canyon down while continuing to provide natural gas service to the residents of Los Angeles County. 
  • We have no idea whether today’s gas leak was more significant than described by Southern California Gas Company. 
  • Brad Sherman: But we know that today’s gas leak shows that it is long past time to shut it down

2025 October 22  Sherman Marks Ten Years Since the October 23rd Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout | Congressman Brad Sherman  

2024 October 24 Sherman Marks Nine Years since Historic Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout  "... The fact that we are still learning of all the health and environmental consequences from this terrible and avoidable disaster underscores the need to permanently close the Aliso facility."

2022 October 21st  Congressman Brad Sherman   “We Need to Close the Aliso Canyon Facility Now” – Sherman on the 7th Anniversary of the Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout  "...We cannot wait another 7 to 15 years....Sherman's home was as close as any residence to the Aliso Canyon gas blowout."

NOTE: Congressman Sherman sold this home in August 2022, which had belonged to his mother and him since it was built in 2002. The redrawing of Congressional districts every decade, placed this residence outside of the new 32nd district in the 2022 elections. His district now extends to Pacific Palisades.

2021 October 21st Congressman Brad Sherman Sixth Anniversary of The Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout – The Federal Response   

  • Congressman Sherman co-sponsored the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Open Brand Pipes Act, requiring the federal government to issue improved natural gas storage safety regulations in light of recommendations from the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Task Force. 
  • Sherman was assured by Tristian Brown, the Acting Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) with such improved regulations would be published early next year.

2020 October 23  "We need a plan to close the Aliso Canyon facility now," Sherman urged. "We cannot wait another 7 to 15 years."  On the Fifth Anniversary of the Disaster Congressman Sherman Continues to Call for Closing the Aliso Canyon Facility 

2017 October 16 Congressman Sherman Calls for Comprehensive Health Study on Effects of Aliso Canyon Gas Leak  

  • "Now is the time to put in place stronger regulations that will work to prevent what happened at Aliso Canyon from reoccurring anywhere in California,"
  • "Just because California's standards for the storage of natural gas are stronger than those in other states or federal standards, does not mean they are sufficient."
    • First, Sherman urges the requirement of deep subsurface positive-pressure safety valves on all active wells at subsurface natural gas storage facilities. 
    • Second, California must address the "too big to fail, too big to exist" issue by mandating that when any major metropolitan area is reliant on one storage facility for over 25 percent of its power, additional gas storage facilities must be developed.

2017 July 20 - SoCalGas to Renew Injections at Aliso Canyon Without Implementing Strongest Possible Safety Standards 

  • SoCalGas is going to begin injecting additional natural gas into the Aliso Canyon storage facility, the site of the world's largest methane leak.
  • One of the tragic ironies of the Aliso Canyon leak is that the broken well, SS25, had previously been equipped with a subsurface safety valve that was removed in 1979 and never replaced.
  • "The state should require deep subsurface positive-pressure safety valves on all active wells at subsurface natural gas storage facilities.
  • "Just because California's standards for the storage of natural gas are stronger than those in other states or the federal government, does not mean they are sufficient."

2017 February 1 - Congressman Sherman’s Statement for Tonight’s Public Meeting on Safety at Aliso Canyon 

  • We are informed that of the 114 wells, 79 have been temporarily sealed and 34 have passed a series of testing. 
  • You should not consider giving SoCalGas what they want now – unless you also act simultaneously to require the expeditious implementation of the toughest, reasonable mandatory safety standards, including deep sub-surface safety valves."Additionally, each well should have appropriate live gauges and monitors that report their findings electronically for utilities, state officials, and the public online.

2016 November 1  Sherman Responds to SoCalGas Push to Resume Operations at Aliso Canyon in Porter Ranch  
“If California’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) allows SoCalGas to begin reinjecting gas into Aliso Canyon, it must require the strongest possible safety measures:

  • require that only tubing be used for all injections and removal of natural gas and prohibit injection or removal through the casing,
  • strict maximum injection pressure for each well and corresponding maximum capacity limits for the facility,
  • constant monitoring of the wells and air quality surrounding the facility,
  • both a deep sub-surface positive pressure safety valve and a surface safety valve on every well.

2016  June 22, - PIPES Act of 2016 (the Act)

  • expressly allows states to adopt more stringent safety standards for intrastate facilities....
  • In order to implement the safety standards, the PIPES Act imposes a "user fee" on entities operating underground storage facilities.
  • ...amends 49 U.S.C. section 60101(a) to define "underground natural gas storage facility" as "a gas pipeline facility that stores natural gas in an underground facility, including—
    • a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir
    • an aquifer reservoir; or 
    • a solution-mined salt cavern reservoir
  • The Act requires PHMSA to issue, within two years of passage, "minimum safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities."

2016 February in response to the Aliso Canyon Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility incident, PHMSA issued Advisory Bulletin ADB-2016-02 to owners and operators of underground pipeline and storage facilities regarding the safe operation of underground storage facilities for natural gas [Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0016] Underground Natural Gas Storage | PHMSA

2016- January 29 Congressman Sherman Commends Feinstein-Boxer Legislation on Aliso Canyon Leak ...would direct Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to lead a broad federal review of the cause and the response to the natural gas leak at Southern California Gas Company's Aliso Canyon Natural Gas storage facility

2016 - January President Obama personally committed to Congressman Sherman to publish natural gas storage safety regulations. And later that year, the Obama administration issued regulations. Fact Sheet: Ensuring Safe and Reliable Underground Natural Gas Storage | Department of Energy Revised regulations were issued in 2020. 

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