The frustration and folly of the #PorterRanchGasLeak

George Denny, far left, joins Sierra Club activists at a hearing about the #PorterRanchGasLeak in January. Credit: Sierra Club

Wanta live in Porter Ranch? Three and a half years ago, that seemed like a good idea to me and my wife, Fran.

So we left our Culver City home and embarked on a new journey. So, OK, it’s pretty easy to tell that there are oil wells in the Santa Susana Mountains to our immediate north. But in trying to find easy access to the mountains, we discovered the Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) was using cavities from a hundred years of oil extraction to insert high pressure natural gas into those cavities as a convenient reservoir. 

The property is bracketed on either end by parkland, but posted no trespassing in between. Still the local hiking was good and we enjoy those trails. The mountains are still beautiful to look at, even as I write this article. Hey, what could go wrong? Plenty! 

#PorterRanchGasLeak

If you haven’t heard about the massive gas leak by now, less than 1½ miles from our home, all your electronic devises must be broken.

We first learned of this leak a little after October 23, 2015, when it was first detected. We heard it was just a routine maintenance issue. Well, not exactly. Tons, I mean TONS, of natural gas have been released. The California Air Resources Board estimates that the leak no longer emits its peak of about 94 tons per HOUR to only 26 tons (that’s 52,000 Pounds!) per hour as SoCalGas reduces the pressure as rate payers use their stoves and furnaces and the leak persists.

This from a well drilled in1953, one that had a safety valve.  Oh yeah, it was defective and removed. Oh, and not replaced. How dumb is that?

What to do?

We decided to try to tough it out. But, Porter Ranch is emptying out. Most of our neighbors have relocated at gas company expense to hotels and apartments widely scattered, some as far away as Orange County. 

Schools have closed, creating a nightmare for parents and children. Local businesses suffer. Property values have tanked! Still we stay.

A couple of weeks ago, the smell of the odorant (a mercaptan) became so pervasive in our home that we decided to try air purifiers recommended by the gas company and that they would reimburse our costs in a few weeks (as much as $2,500). 

From Dec. 26 until Jan. 5, we searched the web and made calls and spun our wheels. None in stock. Maybe by Jan 18, one of them said. I asked the gas company for help. Oh! We have some in stock; we’ll bring them to you. Two days later they show up. They’ve been going full bore, 24/7, for a week.

Ready to move on ... but it's not easy

We have decided to seek relocation, because SoCalGas Co. don’t really seem to be able resolve the issue. Several calls and e-mail responses, visits to the relocations center in the last few days resulted in one more visit to the center last night. We gave the guy all the same information (name, address, phone, email) again. Guess what? Not in the system, despite the three prior emails we’ve received saying we were on the list and would hear back in an undefined, “As soon as possible.”

Color me furious. We still await the phone call we were to receive Jan. 15.

Although the use of underground caverns is fairly common, there are alternatives such as above ground tanks of which there are many all across the country, safely stored and in much smaller containers compared to the huge caverns. Think what a fine park could be created if this facility was closed. It could be done.

I urge you to write to our City Councilman and County Supervisor and our governor and ask for them to help #SHUT IT DOWN.”

Email Governor Jerry Brown at this link
Email Councilman District 12 (SFV), City of LA, Mitch Englander
Email LA County Board of Supervisors member and South Coast Air Quality Management District board member, Michael D. Antonivich

George Denny is a Sierra Club Angeles Chapter leader and Chapter board member. He has joined the Sierra Club at the #PorterRanchGasLeak heaings this month.