751292_HWOC_OG
Summary
SCH Number
2025110065
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
751292_HWOC_OG
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/4/2025
Document Description
HWOC proposes to rework existing well Miocene 3A-32E. The project is expected to take 4 days and will be completed during the Fall season. Construction related activities are not required. All equipment will be contained within existing facilities and there will be no expansion of existing former use. Temporary equipment needed for the project includes a Production Rig, Rig Pump, Cement Truck, Bins, Storage Tank, and Tubing. Vehicles needed to transport personnel, deliver supplies and materials, and transport waste will also visit the project site. Reworking the well will require the use of 305 bbls (12,810 gallons) of produced water and 31 bbls (1302 gallons) of fresh water. Produced water will come from our Parkinson Production Facility, approximately 1.1 miles from the well location. Fresh water will be provided by the cementing service company. The produced water will be transported to the project location by vacuum truck.
The proposed project consists of the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) approving 1 permit for Holmes Western Oil Corporation to rework the well listed below, in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field, to address well integrity issues.
API # Well Name
0402941654 Miocene 3A-32E
Contact Information
Name
Catherine Calantas
Agency Name
Department of Conservation
Job Title
Office Technician
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Scott Grodewald
Agency Name
Holmes Western Oil Corporation (HWOC)
Job Title
Agent
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Kern
Regions
Southern California
Township
12N
Range
23W
Section
32
Base
SB
Other Location Info
Midway-Sunset
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1, Existing Facilities (14 CCR §§ 15301, 1684.1)
Reasons for Exemption
The "Class 1" (14 CCR § 15301) exemption is applicable per the CEQA Guidelines and CalGEM's regulations (14 CCR § 1684.1) because the proposed work consists of repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of an existing previously permitted well involving no expansion of former use. The Class includes, but is not limited to: remedial, maintenance, conversion, and abandonment work on oil, gas, injection, and geothermal wells. The well would maintain its existing well type and the use of the well would remain the same as before.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction (14 CCR § 15302)
Reasons for Exemption
Class 2 applies because it consists of "replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the & structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced[.]" Examples of Class 2 include, but are not limited to, "Replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or & "facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity." The proposed project is the rework, or replacement, of the existing wellbore. The rework will be on the same site and would have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the well did before the rework. Additionally, no additional construction will occur.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land (14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2)
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4 exemption applies. The proposed project would be conducted entirely on an existing pad with enough space to contain all equipment. The project would not disturb any undisturbed areas. The proposed project is located within an industrial area. Therefore, the proposed project "consists of drilling operations that result in only minor alterations with negligible or no permanent effects to the existing condition of the land, water, air, and/or vegetation." The rework would not expand the facility.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Classes 7 and 8 (14 CCR §§ 15307, 15308)
Reasons for Exemption
Class 7 and Class 8 exemptions apply. The exemptions are for actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by law to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of a natural resource or the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for the protection of the environment. As demonstrated in the record, the proposed project involves remedial/rework operations to address well integrity issues that requires swift action for protection of a natural resource and the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.