Cement has permanently sealed the 4-month-old natural gas leak on the outskirts of Los Angeles that spewed 80,000 tons methane into the atmosphere and displaced thousands of families, according to state regulators.
The well operator, Southern California Gas Co (SoCal Gas), began pumping cement into the well on February 12, the day after they reported successfully drilling a relief well and controlling the flow of the leak with heavy fluids.
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“We recognize the disruption the gas leak has caused to the residents of Porter Ranch and surrounding communities,” Dennis V. Arriola, CEO of SoCal Gas, said in a statement. “We are committed to earning back their trust and confidence over time through our actions, not our words.”
The well released an estimated 95,000 metric tons of methane, according to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a century, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
At its peak in late November, the well released over 127,000 pounds of methane per hour, according to an estimate by the California Air Resources Board. State officials said that the leak was the largest of its kind in California history.
Related: Company Responsible for Huge Los Angeles Methane Leak Hit With Criminal Charges
The leak forced thousands of families from nearby Porter Ranch and other neighborhood to relocate. Residents complained of nosebleeds and headaches and county and state officials have filed multiple lawsuits, including criminal charges.
Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who represents the neighborhoods closest to the leak, urged continued investigation of the leak and industry reform.
“The next chapter is yet to be written but it must include the safe return home for the thousands of affected families, a thorough investigation of the leak, an overhaul of regulatory responsibilities in the oil and gas industry, and a comprehensive study of potential health impacts to this community, families and our environment,” he said.
Timothy O’Connor, director of the California oil and gas program at EDF, said that while it was a “relief” that the well had been permanently sealed, it revealed serious flaws in regulation of the oil and gas sector.
“Now comes the hard part of making sure this doesn’t happen again and holding the gas company accountable for fixing the damage it has caused to people and the environment,” O’Connor said in a statement.
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