Energy Secretary Orders Restart of Santa Ynez Offshore Operations
Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the Defense Production Act to order Sable Offshore to restore the Santa Ynez unit and pipeline off Santa Barbara, officials said.
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Overview
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the Defense Production Act to direct Texas-based Sable Offshore Corp. to restore operations of the Santa Ynez unit and pipeline off Santa Barbara, the Energy Department said.
The Santa Ynez unit was damaged by a 2015 oil spill and includes the Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility, the Energy Department said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the order an attempt to illegally restart a pipeline whose operators face criminal charges and said California will see them back in court.
Officials said the Las Flores facility can produce about 50,000 barrels of oil per day and would replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude each month.
California sued the federal government in January over approval of Sable's restart plans, Attorney General Rob Bonta said, and state officials said they are reviewing legal options.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this development neutrally, presenting both administration rationale and state opposition with factual context. they quote officials from the energy department and California leaders, include production figures and legal actions, and avoid editorialized language beyond source statements. the coverage emphasizes competing claims rather than advancing a single narrative.
FAQ
The Defense Production Act is a Cold War-era law that the Trump administration is invoking to direct Sable Offshore to restore operations of the Santa Ynez Unit and its pipeline system.[6] According to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the order addresses supply disruption risks caused by California policies that have left the region and U.S. military forces dependent on foreign oil.[8] The administration argues that the Santa Ynez facility can produce approximately 50,000 barrels of oil per day, which would replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude monthly.[6]
In 2015, a corroded pipe in the Plains All American pipeline ruptured and spilled more than 450,000 gallons of oil near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara, making it one of the worst oil spills in California history.[3] Since acquiring the Santa Ynez Unit facilities in February 2024, Sable has stated it repaired, upgraded, and subjected the pipeline to extensive inspection and remediation, with both the California State Fire Marshal and Santa Barbara County Energy Division certifying it fully compliant and safe for operation in 2025.[7] However, two environmental groups sued the state over the Fire Marshal's December 2024 waiver, alleging that Sable's plans do not include fixing the corrosion issues that led to the original 2015 spill.[3]
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the Energy Secretary's order an attempt to illegally restart a pipeline whose operators face criminal charges and said California will contest it in court.[6] California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that California sued the federal government in January 2026 over approval of Sable's restart plans and that state officials are reviewing additional legal options.[6] In October 2025, California's Coastal Commission fined Sable $18 million—the largest fine in the agency's history—for starting pipeline repair work without coastal development permits and violating cease-and-desist orders, a decision upheld by a Santa Barbara Superior Court judge that Sable appealed.[3]
Sable Offshore restarted oil production at the Santa Ynez Unit on May 15, 2025, and began flowing oil to Las Flores Canyon.[1] The company completed anomaly repairs on the Las Flores Pipeline System by May 18, 2025, and expected to fill the approximately 540,000 barrels of crude oil storage capacity at Las Flores Canyon by mid-June 2025, with plans to recommence oil sales in July 2025.[1] The Santa Ynez Unit had been dormant since the 2015 oil spill until production restarted in May 2025.[4]
The Santa Ynez Unit consists of three offshore platforms—Hondo, Harmony, and Heritage—located 5 to 9 miles offshore in shallow water depths of 900 to 1,200 feet off the California coast.[2] Sable holds a 100% operated, 100% working interest position across 16 federal offshore leases covering approximately 76,000 acres.[2] The platforms service 112 wells comprised of 90 producers, 12 injectors, and 10 idle wells, with over 100 identified, undrilled opportunities.[2] The Las Flores Canyon facility can produce approximately 50,000 barrels of oil per day.[6]
