Abandoned Oil Wells Sealed Off for Safety

Long-abandoned oil wells in the pristine Santa Clarita Woodlands Park have been plugged to halt potentially harmful leaks under a project directed by a state conservation agency.

A total of 19 wells--most drilled around the turn of the century in the once oil-rich canyons--were discovered at the 3,500-acre park, owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

All but one of the wells have now been sealed, said Patrick Kinnear, a district deputy for the state Department of Conservation. The last is expected to be plugged as soon as weather permits, Kinnear said.

Several of the wells on the property had been oozing oil onto the ground, including a well located near Towsley Canyon Creek, Kinnear said. “It makes a real mess and can be dangerous, particularly if animals get into it or it gets into the creek,” he said.

While most of the usable oil has been pumped out of the region over the years, many wells continue to seep small amounts of crude because of built-up pressure underground, Kinnear said. The leaks are stopped by pumping cement into the holes.

It has been estimated that there are more than 100 abandoned but unplugged oil wells in the Ventura County and northern Los Angeles County region, with an estimated 1,200 orphaned wells statewide, agency officials said.

“It’s important that we take advantage of every opportunity to properly plug and abandon those which can no longer be productive or which pose environmental threats,” said B.B. Blevins, acting director of the Department of Conservation.

The woodlands park is located west of the Golden State Freeway and The Old Road south of Stevenson Ranch and includes portions of several canyons. The area shelters rare plants and a rich array of wildlife, year-round streams, a 25-foot waterfall and dense stands of hardwood and coniferous trees.

The area is popular for hiking, biking and horseback riding, state officials said.