Overview
- The city declared a local emergency after an October leak sent methane and thick crude from an abandoned well into a residential block on the Balboa Peninsula.
- A 110-foot rig is drilling roughly 800 to 1,000 feet to remove accumulated oil and seal the 1920s well with specialized cement.
- Officials expect about nine days of continuous work, with a stated goal of finishing before Christmas.
- Two nearby houses were deemed unsafe after oil intruded, and city officials say demolition is likely as owners consider next steps.
- The well is described as ownerless, complicating liability for costs, while crews work to prevent spread to other properties or the adjacent waterway as neighbors report persistent noise.