Official Summary Text
AB 2606, as amended, Ellis.
Oil and gas:
demonstration zones:
subsurface energy transition research and demonstration projects:
California State University, Bakersfield.
Existing law establishes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation under the direction of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor, who is required to supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of oil and gas wells in the state and the operation, maintenance, and removal or abandonment of tanks and facilities related to oil and gas production within an oil and gas field so as to prevent damage to life, health, property, and natural resources.
Existing law requires the operator of a well to file a written notice of intention to commence drilling with, and prohibits any drilling until approval is given by, the supervisor or district deputy.
Existing law prohibits an operator from injecting a concentrated carbon dioxide fluid produced by a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or
sequestration project into a Class II well, as defined, for purposes of enhanced oil recovery, including the facilitation of enhanced oil recovery from another well.
This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation authorizing California State University, Bakersfield, over a 10-year period, to establish a demonstration zone in existing oil fields for research and development purposes to test advanced carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery techniques in partnership with local industry in order to achieve neutral or net negative emissions.
Existing law establishes the California State University under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University as one of the segments of public
postsecondary education in the state.
This bill would require the department, consistent with its statutory authority and in coordination with other state or federal regulatory agencies, to prioritize granting approvals for specified types of low-carbon or carbon-reducing technologies and applications. The bill would authorize the department to establish the Subsurface Low-Carbon Demonstration Project Program to facilitate partnerships among the state, the California State University system, private industry, and public entities to study and demonstrate innovative subsurface technologies using existing and idle wells.
The bill would authorize the department to establish various programs in partnership with the California State University and California State University, Bakersfield, including (1) the Regional
Subsurface Energy Transition and Applied Research Program and (2) a subsurface energy research field station for applied research, field testing, monitoring, and demonstration of subsurface technologies. The bill would also authorize the department to (3) collaborate with the California Energy Research Center at California State University, Bakersfield, and recognize the center as a state-affiliated applied research, technical assistance, and policy support partner, as provided, and (4) designate and support the California Core Repository at California State University, Bakersfield, as an official state-affiliated repository, as provided.
This bill would authorize the department to establish and administer an official department office at California State University, Bakersfield, and would authorize the California State University to support and collaborate on activities across the full scope of the department’s statutory responsibilities, as provided.
This bill would explicitly authorize university-based researchers associated with any of the above-described programs to serve on advisory panels, technical working groups, and research committees in an advisory capacity, and provide scientific expertise to inform regulatory development, interagency coordination, and public communication.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for California State University, Bakersfield.