Trending Now - Trump Resumes Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline Amid Iran Tensions, California Opposes
WHO:
Sable Offshore Corp. acquired the pipeline system from ExxonMobil in 2024.
Jim Flores is the chair and chief executive of Sable Offshore Corp.
Talia Nimmer is an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity.
President Trump, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sable Offshore Corp., Center for Biological Diversity, Alex Katz (executive director of the Environmental Defense Center), Talia Nimmer (attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity), Rob Bonta (Attorney General of California).
WHAT:
Sable Offshore Corp. has been attempting to restart its offshore oil production for over a year.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation demanded that Sable “immediately remove the pipeline” from Gaviota State Park on March 14th, 2026.
The California State Lands Commission called an emergency meeting on March 13th, 2026, to consider additional litigation regarding the pipeline.
Offshore oil is flowing through pipelines for the first time since 2015.
Sable Offshore Corp. announced the resumption of oil flow on March 13th, 2026.
The pipeline had been closed since May 2015 due to a corroded pipe burst.
Sable plans to begin sales by April 1st, 2026, at a rate of 50,000 barrels per day.
Sable has 540,000 barrels of processed crude oil in storage as of March 12th, 2026.
The Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act to order the restart of the pipeline.
Sable's production could increase from about 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to more than 50,000 if the system restarts.
WHERE:
Santa Barbara County, California; Kern County, California; Gaviota State Park; Los Angeles, California; Bakersfield, California; Bay Area, California.
WHEN:
The California Department of Parks and Recreation issued its demand on March 14th, 2026.
The emergency meeting by the California State Lands Commission took place on March 13th, 2026.
The pipeline was closed in May 2015.
The executive order from President Trump was issued on March 10th, 2026.
Sable announced the restart of operations on March 13th, 2026.
Sable plans to bring two other offshore rigs online by June 2026.
WHY:
The Trump administration's order to restart the pipeline was made in response to skyrocketing fuel prices due to the Iran conflict.
The restart is in response to soaring gas prices amid the Iran conflict.
The Trump administration argues that the nation's energy needs supersede state and local regulations.
HOW:
The Trump administration issued an executive order on March 10th, 2026, expanding and clarifying the energy secretary’s authority under the Defense Production Act.
The Trump administration invoked the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to facilitate the restart.
Sable filed a lawsuit against California State Parks seeking confirmation of its right to operate through the park under Trump's executive order.
California's Department of Parks and Recreation formally denied Sable's application to operate the pipeline through Gaviota State Park.
(UPDATED March 17, 2026 23:14 UTC)
Sable Offshore Corp., led by chair and CEO Jim Flores, has been trying to restart its offshore oil production for over a year after acquiring the pipeline system from ExxonMobil in 2024. However, the California Department of Parks and Recreation demanded on March 14th that Sable immediately remove the pipeline from Gaviota State Park, following an emergency meeting by the California State Lands Commission the day before to discuss further litigation. This situation stems from an executive order issued by the Trump administration on March 10th, aimed at addressing rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 11:19 UTC)
In a significant development, President Trump announced the resumption of offshore oil flow through pipelines for the first time since 2015, following a closure due to a corroded pipe burst. Sable Offshore Corp. revealed that it plans to begin sales at a rate of 50,000 barrels per day by April 1, 2026, with 540,000 barrels of processed crude oil already in storage. This restart comes in response to rising gas prices amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, with the Trump administration invoking the Defense Production Act to prioritize the nation's energy needs over state regulations.