Stage being set for multi-well stimulation at offshore platform in California

March 17th, 2026

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has taken a step to lay the groundwork for the proposed offshore well stimulation work at a platform off the coast of California.

Gilda platform; Source: BOEM

BOEM has issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a proposed update to the Santa Clara Unit development and production plan, which includes the use of hydraulic fracturing on 16 existing wells at the Gilda platform, located 8.8 miles offshore Ventura County, California.

As the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has deemed the plan complete, it is launching an environmental review under the Department of the Interior’s ‘Alternative Arrangements for NEPA Compliance During a National Energy Emergency,’ published on April 23, 2025.

These procedures direct agencies to prepare an EIS within approximately 28 days of publishing the notice of intent. The notice opens a ten-day scoping period and invites comments from all interested parties and potential cooperating agencies. As part of the scoping process, BOEM will hold a virtual public scoping meeting on March 24, 2026.

Commenting on this, Matt Giacona, Acting BOEM Director, emphasized: “This NEPA analysis is essential to informing our decision on the proposed update to the development plan.

“Recent improvements made by the Department to the NEPA process are helping BOEM deliver timely and transparent environmental reviews that provide greater certainty for energy development, support reliable domestic energy supplies and help keep energy affordable for American consumers while ensuring potential environmental impacts are fully evaluated.”

The Gilda platform, installed in 1981 and operated by DCOR, produces from multiple geologic formations in the Santa Clara Unit. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement outlines that the federal offshore platform has cumulatively produced approximately 42.62 million barrels of oil and 51.70 billion cubic feet of natural gas as of December 31, 2025.