Overview
- In a 3-1 vote, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors rejected transferring county permits from ExxonMobil to Sable Offshore, ending the company’s bid before the board.
- Supervisors pointed to noncompliance documented by county staff, violation notices, and a record $18 million Coastal Commission penalty as reasons for denial.
- Sable said the decision does not affect its ability to operate facilities or resume oil sales and it will continue litigating to enforce the permit transfers.
- The company has pursued alternate routes to restart production, including filings with the State Fire Marshal, an SEC-disclosed plan for an FPSO near Platform Harmony, and a request for federal oversight.
- Sable’s purchase was financed by a $622 million loan from ExxonMobil with terms that could return the assets if deadlines are missed, while the 114-well unit has remained idle since the 2015 Refugio spill.