419113_150-00-0003_HWOC_UIC
Summary
SCH Number
2025110907
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
419113_150-00-0003_HWOC_UIC
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/21/2025
Document Description
This document is a reassessment following a procedural change as a result of the Sunflower Opinion. On September 6, 2024, the appellate court in Sunflower stated that CalGEM can use the Class 1 exemption (existing facilities) for new Project Approval Letters and conversions. Holmes Western Oil Corporation (the Operator) has submitted a new UIC project to convert six oil and gas production wells into waterflood injection wells. The new UIC application will cover the injection uses of the six newly converted injection wells. The proposed injectors would inject into the historically productive and aquifer-exempted Miocene-aged Temblor Formation. And the proposed new UIC application involves an Administrative Well Type Change in WellSTAR, updating six wells in total classifications from oil and gas to injection. The conversion will result in no physical modifications to the wellbore. Therefore, no Notice of Intents (NOIs) for all six proposed wells will be submitted.
The proposed project consists of Holmes Western Oil Corporation seeking the issuance of one new project approval letter (PAL) by the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) for UIC project No. 150-00-0003, located within the Coalinga Oil Field. The wells listed below would be associated with the UIC project.
API #0401925041
Well Name: Sec 8 1-8
API #0401925259
Well Name: Sec 8 2-2
API #0401924865
Well Name: Sec 8 2-4
API #0401924866
Well Name: Sec 8 2-6
API #0401925040
Well Name: Sec 8 2-9
API #0401924686
Well Name: Sec 8 3-6
Contact Information
Name
Scott Grodewald
Agency Name
Holmes Western Oil Corporation
Job Title
Agent
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Address
Phone
Name
Maggie Harrington
Agency Name
Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division
Job Title
Associate Governmental Program Analyst
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Coalinga
Counties
Fresno
Regions
Southern California
Township
21S
Range
15E
Section
08
Base
MD
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1; 14 CCR §§ 15301, 1684.1
Reasons for Exemption
Class 1 applies to the “operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration” of existing facilities involving “negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing previously” (§ 1684.1). The proposed project involves converting six production wells into injection wells. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board reviewed the project for potential groundwater impacts and issued a No Objection letter on July 10, 2024. And a district engineer determined that the proposed activities are negligible since converting the wells to injection use will require the same servicing and maintenance. Additionally, the conversion work does not necessitate permanent casing alterations that would require the submission CalGEM Notice of Intents (NOIs) for reworks. These changes are minor and will not result in significant impacts to surface or subsurface conditions. Therefore, the conversions are considered a negligible change in use.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4; 14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4 applies because the project consists of “minor alterations with negligible or no permanent effects to the existing condition of the land, water, air, and/or vegetation” (14 CCR § 1684.2). The proposed project would convert six existing oil and gas production wells to injection wells; however, these conversions will not require mechanical changes to the casing. The proposed project work would take place on existing well pads which are large enough to accommodate the necessary equipment and can be accessed by existing roads. There will be no construction of new permanent facilities, nor will there be any expansion of the associated facilities. As a result, there will be no significant ground disturbance that could affect biological resources or their habitats.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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