Treadwell and NorthStar Capping

Since the successful capping of Becker Well in February 2018, HTO Advisory Board member Harry Rabin had been relentless in pushing forward the next round of cleanups. Working with InterAct engineers Mike Giuliani & Eric Kroh, the team mapped out the exact wells that need to be capped next - The Big Bad Boys: Treadwell Offshore, and NorthStar (“The Ramp”). Harry’s topside and underwater pictures helped locate the well infrastructure beneath the Summerland Sand.

Heal the Ocean remains eternally grateful to CA Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson for writing the legislation for SB 44, Coastal Hazards and Legacy Oil and Gas Well Removal and Remediation Program, and we are proud to have had a big hand in pushing this legislation through the maze of congressional approval. Last, and definitely not least, the support of Nora McNeely Hurley and her family’s Manitou Fund has provided endless help with funds to add sophisticated technology to locate oil wells, to get the oil problem solved in Summerland.

The ocean at NorthStar was covered in oil for years – until after a pipe was sunk around well during the first part of the capping process. Even before the bulk of the work on NorthStar was finished on Saturday, November 28, 2020, Heal the Ocean came across communications of gratitude from Summerland residents. Plugging Treadwell alone had already made a huge difference to the beach. Heal the Ocean sends a big thank you to all the many people who had a hand in this success.