Some Effects of California Air and Water Quality Regulations on the Oil Producing Industry
Authors: Lynch J.C. 
Published: December 2007

This paper was prepared for the Second Biennial Symposium on Environmental Conservation presented by the Evangeline Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, to be held in Lafayette, La., Nov. 13–14, 1972. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon request to the Editor of the appropriate journal provided agreement to give proper credit is made. provided agreement to give proper credit is made. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines.

Protection of the quality of air and water has been given the highest priority in California.

Regulations and standards adopted to provide this protection are not always based upon scientific fact or upon economic considerations. Consequently, the oil producer must increase the efficiency of his operations in order to carry the extra burden that some regulations impose on him.

This paper is an introduction into the current status of efforts being made by the oil industry and governmental agencies to solve the air and water quality problems of California.

Introduction

The intent of this paper is to present in general terms problems of pollution abatement that confront the oil producer in California.

California's two most precious commodities are its air and water, and because of the unique geographical and meteorological conditions existent in the State, man must take special care to protect the quality of air and water in California. protect the quality of air and water in California. To do this most effectively the State has been divided into 16 water planning basins and 11 air basins. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Natural conditions have guided the establishing of regulations to protect the quality of air and water in each basin.

The products distribution and marketing systems of the petroleum industry are involved in all air and water basins. However, the producing and drilling operations are concentrated producing and drilling operations are concentrated mainly in the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles Coastal Plain, and the coastal and offshore areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. These areas are shown on Fig. 1 as Water Basins #3, 4A, 4B, 8, 5C and 5D, and on Fig. 2 as the South Coast, South Central Coast, San Joaquin, and Sacramento Valley Air Basins. It is significant from an environmental protection point of view that with the exception of the San Joaquin Valley the oil producing areas of the State are also the most producing areas of the State are also the most densely populated areas.