Santa Barbara County Toro Canyon Seep Solution Engineering Study

A natural, uncontrolled seepage of crude oil exists in a historic horizontal well in Toro Canyon in eastern Santa Barbara County. An oil-water separator installed at the site fell into disrepair and was subject to vandalism, resulting in frequent spills of oil into Toro Creek. The seep has been the subject of decades-long study and remediation efforts by the California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, the EPA, and the County of Santa Barbara. Beacon West was contracted by the County to prepare an engineering study to evaluate the current facilities and provide recommendations for a long-term solution to manage the seeps. Beacon West personnel conducted site visits to obtain seep oil properties, assess geological conditions, evaluate performance of the existing separation equipment, conduct assessments of the underground storage tank, and assess viability to construct new pipelines and remote monitoring equipment. Short and long-term solutions to manage the seeps were presented to the County including debris flow protection measures, installation of a new double wall pipeline, and repair or replacement of the underground storage tank.