Trending Now - Energy Secretary Orders Texas Oil Company to Resume California Drilling

WHO:

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright

Texas-based oil and gas company Sable Offshore Corp.

President Trump

California Governor Gavin Newsom

California Attorney General Rob Bonta

Talia Nimmer, attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity

WHAT:

Chris Wright directed Sable Offshore Corp. to restore operations in waters off Southern California.

The restoration involves the Santa Ynez unit and pipeline, which includes three rigs in federal waters and the Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility.

The Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility can produce about 50,000 barrels of oil per day.

The facility would replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude each month.

President Trump signed an executive order on January 20th, 2025, to reverse Joe Biden's ban on offshore oil drilling.

California sued the federal government in January 2026 for approving Sable's plans to restart pipelines.

WHERE:

Southern California, specifically off the coast of Santa Barbara County.

Federal waters and onshore pipelines in California.

WHEN:

The directive was issued on March 14th, 2026.

The 2015 oil spill that damaged operations occurred in 2015.

President Trump signed the executive order on January 20th, 2025.

California's lawsuit against the federal government was filed in January 2026.

WHY:

The directive aims to address supply disruption risks and strengthen America's oil supply amid rising gas prices due to the ongoing war with Iran.

Wright stated that the order is vital for national security and military readiness.

HOW:

The directive was issued under the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law.

(UPDATED March 14, 2026 23:01 UTC)

In a significant move today, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed Texas-based Sable Offshore Corp. to restore operations in federal waters off Southern California, specifically involving the Santa Ynez unit and the Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility, which can produce about 50,000 barrels of oil per day. This directive, issued under the Defense Production Act, aims to bolster America's oil supply amid rising gas prices linked to the ongoing war with Iran, and it follows President Trump's executive order from January 2025 that reversed the previous administration's ban on offshore drilling. However, California has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for approving Sable's plans to restart its pipelines, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding energy production in the region.