Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations for California Announced
Monday Morning Report, May 7, 2012
The Office of Governor Jerry Brown has publically announced plans to develop regulations for hydraulic fracturing and update existing regulations.
The California Department of Conservation released a document late Thursday outlining various steps regulators are taking to address a number of oil and gas issues, including hydraulic fracturing. After a series of workshops this summer The California Department of Conservation indicated a plan to develop rules for the fracking procedure, in which operators inject fluid and sand deep into the ground to break apart rock and release trapped oil and natural gas.
The action comes as the Brown administration seeks money in its proposed state budget for additional positions for the Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR). The positions are paid for by an assessment on the production of oil and gas produced in the state and do not come out of the general fund.
The Conservation Department's road map also details efforts to review and update its decades-old regulations for other types of underground injection. Administration officials are set to appear before legislative budget committees next week.
The development of hydraulic fracturing regulations coincides with legislative efforts to require disclosure, outlined in AB 591. Recently, the state asked operators to voluntarily disclose hydraulic fractured wells on the nationally used FracFocus.org website.
