Decommissioning California
Decommissioning marine-based energy infrastructure in California is not for the faint of heart. California in-water and underwater facility decommissioning projects come with a myriad of constantly changing, generally unwritten regulatory requirements, a labyrinthine permitting process, and extraordinary mitigation measures and permit conditions that can sink a project schedule and budget. Miss it in the planning and permitting and it will come back to haunt you during execution.
Longitude 123, Inc. has an unequaled track record in producing California-feasible marine energy-related facility decommissoning projects with realistic means and methods, project schedules and budgets.
Water Treatment Plant Intake and Outfall Facility Decommmisioning
Location: Ventura, California
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Project Description
L123 was contracted to perform the decommissioning of a water treatment plant intake and outfall facility located on the California coastline north of the City of Ventura on a turnkey basis. This 50+ year old facility was used to pump seawater to inland oilfield related water flood operations and to discharge the filtered seawater back to the ocean. L123 conducted all technical surveys, research, and engineering and design of the decommissioning project as well as providing technical support and planning to the regulatory permitting process. The decommissioning scope of work included the recovery of two subsea pipeline end structures; recovery and disposal of two intake pipelines and a discharge pipeline running offshore from the vault; the removal and disposal of the pumps, piping and ancillary equipment from within the vault; the demolition of the vault to a depth of at least 5 feet below the beach sand level; the grouting and abandonment in place of the casing running under SR-1/Highway 101 and a railroad right-of-way; and the grouting and abandonment in place of the three pipelines running from the vault to the client facility north of Highway 101. Work was performed with zero accidents/incidents.
Relevance
The successful completion of this project demonstrates L123’s ability to efficiently design, permit and execute construction and decommissioning of energy facilities on land and underwater in the tough California regulatory environment.
Gas Transmission Pipeline Crossing Replacement
Location: San Joaquin River, California
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Project Description
L123 was contracted to engineer, design and obtain regulatory permits for the decommissioning phase of an existing submarine pipeline crossing the San Joaquin River outside of Patterson, California, and to obtain regulatory permits for the construction of its horizontal directionally drilled (HDD) 24-inch replacement pipeline. L123 and Padre Associates also provide regulatory compliance monitoring of the HDD replacement construction. This crossing replacement project was unique in that it crossed under two USACOE levees (required permissions from the USACOE 408 Group) and involved an unusually long (possibly a world record) HDD bore requiring drilling from both sides of the crossing and pull back of an approximately 7,100 foot long 24-inch pipe string. Prior to construction, this project languished in the California and federal regulatory permitting processes for over three years and was nearing the NTSB deadline for replacement of the crossing when L123/Padre took over the permitting effort and permitted the project in less than 10 months. The HDD replacement was completed by Snelson Companies, Inc. and the Phase 2 decommissioning of the existing crossing was completed by L123 without incident.
Relevance
The successful completion of this project demonstrates the efficiencies of L123/Padre’s unique regulatory permitting acquisition processes in acquiring permits for projects involving California marine and terrestrial components as well as L123’s exceptional California decommissioning expertise.
Stanislaus River Crossing Pipeline Decommissioning
Location: Stanislaus County, California
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Project Description
L123 was contracted on a turnkey, at-risk basis to engineer, design and perform the decommissioning of this retired energy pipeline crossing on the Stanislaus River in Stanislaus County, California. Decommissioning included performance of all surveys, production of plans and specifications, interfacing with the landowner, interfacing with and supporting our clients regulatory permitting effort, cleaning the crossing, slurry filling and removing an exposed segment. L123 performed all engineering and design, internal pipeline cleaning, terrestrial crews and heavy equipment, underwater crews and underwater support equipment, excavation above water and underwater, asbestos abatement and disposal, and recovered pipeline disposal.
Relevance
This project is another example of L123’s long experience inspecting, surveying, engineering/designing, constructing and decommissioning energy pipelines in the California Delta.
Dynegy/Morro Bay Power Plant Tanker Berth Decommissioning Project
Location: Morro Bay, California
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Project Description
The former PG&E Morro Bay Power Plant was sold to Duke Energy in 2003 and the facility’s marine terminal was scheduled for decommissioning. The facility was later acquired by Dynegy. Longitude 123, Inc. served as the sub-consultant lead to the marine construction contractor in acquiring the project and then managing the decommissioning team in investigating the marine facilities and producing the decommissioning planning in support of the environmental permitting process. L123 also served as the decommissioning manager with responsibility for all planning and shared oversight.
Relevance
This project demonstrates L123’s ability to plan and manage the rehabilitation of major offshore oilfield infrastructure in the sensitive California environment.
Oil/Gas Platform Decommissioning Project
Location: Long Beach, California
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Project Description
This project involved the decommissioning of an oil and gas production island located offshore of Seal Beach and Belmont Shores, California. This concrete, wood and steel island was the oldest offshore production facility in the United States. A total of approximately 5,437 tons of concrete was removed, 1,455 tons of steel, 8,000 tons of rock, 2,775 tons of sand, 93 tons of painted concrete, 40 tons of grout and other materials.
Relevance
L123 developed the project’s feasibility study, project execution plan, contractor work plan, engineering and graphics that served as the basis for the project’s environmental permits. The decommissioning work included concrete saw cutting, diamond wire cutting, abrasive grit cutting, heavy lift rigging, and concrete disposal. Of the total volume of materials removed in this decommissioning, 96% was recycled and only 4% was disposed into landfill.
El Paso / Coscol Marine Oil Terminal Deconstruction Project
Location: North San Francisco Bay, California
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Project Description
The former Pacific Refinery located alongside San Pablo Bay in the city of Hercules, California was supported by a marine oil terminal (MOT) constructed in 1966 to support the loading and offloading of tankers. The MOT facility was comprised of several reinforced concrete wharf structures founded on concrete pile, wood piling dolphins, several submarine pipelines, and a shore landing. L123 client, a marine construction contractor, was awarded the contract to decommission this facility in accordance with strict environmental agency permit conditions and requirements. This project required the employment of four individual derrick barge-based marine personnel and equipment spreads to complete the work on time and within the environmental parameters. L123 developed the Contractor Work Plan and worked with the client to develop all operational and supporting plans.
Relevance
This project demonstrates L123’s experience with marine construction and decommissioning planning and operations in a difficult environmental permitting setting.
Oil/Gas Decommissioning Project
Location: Long Beach, California
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Project Description
This project involved the decommissioning of an oil and gas production island located offshore of Seal Beach and Belmont Shores, California. This concrete, wood and steel island was the oldest offshore production facility in the United States. A total of approximately 5,437 tons of concrete was removed, 1,455 tons of steel, 8,000 tons of rock, 2,775 tons of sand, 93 tons of painted concrete, 40 tons of grout and other materials.
Relevance
L123 developed the project’s feasibility study, project execution plan, contractor work plan, engineering and graphics that served as the basis for the project’s environmental permits. The decommissioning work included concrete saw cutting, diamond wire cutting, abrasive grit cutting, heavy lift rigging, and concrete disposal. Of the total volume of materials removed in this decommissioning, 96% was recycled and only 4% was disposed into landfill.
Oil/Gas Platform Decommissioning Project
Location: Santa Barbara Channel, California
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Project Description
This oil/gas platform decommissioning project is the largest of its kind to take place to date offshore California under CEQA. This project involved the decommissioning and removal of four offshore oil and gas drilling and production platforms. L123 assembled the team of engineers and underwater constructors that planned the decommissioning and produced all inspections and surveys, technical documents, engineering, drawings and graphics that were used as the basis for the environmental permit applications. The project was successfully permitted and later performed under a mitigated negative declaration of environmental impact.
Relevance
This project demonstrates the ability of L123 to produce plans and documents in support of environmental permits for major marine projects. L123 excels at producing project plans that limit impacts to the surrounding environment while complying with the needs of the facility owners and operators.