After Calif. leak, feds seek to curtail natural gas blowouts

WASHINGTON (AP) — A year after a blowout at a natural gas well near Los Angeles spewed tons of noxious gas and drove thousands from their homes, a federal task force is recommending dozens of safety changes for the nation's 400 underground natural gas storage facilities.

A report released Tuesday recommends that operators of gas-storage sites conduct strict risk assessments and develop robust safety procedures, including ensuring that storage wells have backup systems to contain gas flows in the event of a leak.

"Natural gas plays an important role in our nation's energy landscape, and we need to make sure the associated infrastructure is strong enough to maintain energy reliability, protect public health and preserve our environment," said Franklin Orr and Marie-Therese Dominguez, who co-chaired the interagency task force.

The failed Aliso Canyon well was one of 115 wells at a sprawling storage facility operated by Southern California Gas Co. The well was built in 1953 to pump oil and converted in the 1970s to store natural gas.

Spokesman Chris Gilbride said SoCalGas has cooperated with the federal task force and is "committed to supporting forward-looking and reasonable regulations that promote safety at natural gas storage facilities."

Dominguez said at a news conference Tuesday that her agency expects to announce interim federal rules for natural gas storage operations by the end of the year.