Excelaron, LLC has proposed a small oil drilling exploration and production project in the Huasna Valley. The project is proposed on private property within the boundaries of an existing oilfield. The proposed project will have a very minimal footprint, and will utilize existing roads and well pads. Excelaron is currently working with the County to have an independent third party consultant complete a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Project Overview
⇒ The Excelaron oil exploration project proposes to explore, test and possibly
produce oil from an existing oilfield on private property in Huasna Valley.
The oilfield is located on the Mankins’ family ranch, and has been the site
of past drilling activities over decades by different companies. Due to
advances in technology, the site may now prove to be commercially and
economically viable.
Small Footprint
⇒ The actual project site will have less than a two acre footprint on a 260 acre parcel of land. Due to placement of the site in a small and hidden valley,
the drilling equipment and activities will not be visible to the public.
⇒ The proposed project will involve four wells in the testing and exploration
phase. Should drilling be deemed commercially viable, the project will
expand over the next several years to a maximum of 12 producing wells.
⇒ Project related vehicles will travel across private roads on the Mankins’
and Porter’s Ranches, onto a small section of Huasna Townsite,
to Alamo Creek Road, to Highway 166, and ultimately to Highway
101. This new designated route is a significant change from earlier
plans, which proposed truck travel down Huasna Road and through
Arroyo Grande. The new project description allows for a maximum
of six trucks per day.
Project Phases
⇒ Phase I: Exploration and Testing Phase. Four wells will be drilled
and tested over a six-month period. If the four wells fail to yield
commercial quantities of oil, the wells will be properly plugged
and abandoned, the site remediated, and the project will be concluded.
This phase includes minor improvements to existing access roads and well
pads to accommodate drilling and testing equipment.
⇒ Phase II: Production Phase. If the oil reserves are found to be
commercially viable during the testing phase, Excelaron will move
forward with production. This will involve the installation of necessary
oil recovery facilities on site. This equipment will be limited to the
two acre footprint, and a maximum of six tanker trucks per day will
transport product from the site daily to a nearby refinery.
⇒ Phase III: Site Cleanup and Existing Well Abandonment Phase.
The Huasna Valley has been the site of past oil exploration activities as far
back as the late 1800’s. Most recently, exploration activities were
undertaken in the mid 1980’s. Multiple exploration activities under
less stringent environmental regulations have resulted in the abandonment
of several pieces of old equipment and several idle wells. Concurrent
with the Production Phase, Excelaron has committed to remove any
equipment including pipelines and tanks that remain on the site from these
previous drilling activities.
⇒ Phase IV: Field Development Phase. The Huasna Valley Association
requested that the EIR include a review of Excelaron’s estimated future
expansion plans assuming that oil recovery is found to be commercially
viable. Therefore, Excelaron has projected site development plans to
include an additional eight production wells that would be drilled over the
subsequent four year period following exploration. The foreseeable project
growth is limited to a maximum of 12 production wells.
Site Access, Road Improvements and Oil Transport
⇒ Existing private roads on Mankins’ Ranch will provide access to the well
pads and shipping site from Huasna Townsite Road. Roads through
Porter’s Ranch will allow access to Highway 166, and ultimately on
to Highway 101. These existing roads will require minor grading,
the installation of gravel, and the application of soil binders and dust
suppressants to ensure compliance with all regulatory agency
requirements. A new deck surface and stringers will be constructed
on the County’s Huasna Creek Bridge to accommodate a load capacity
of 25 tons. Should the project enter the Production Phase, major
improvements to Highway 166 at Alamo Creek Road will also
be constructed. These road and bridge improvement activities will
be paid for by Excelaron.