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Project 101
What is Sable Offshore?
Sable Offshore Corp. (Sable) is an independent oil and gas company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, focused on responsibly bringing the Santa Ynez Pipeline System back online. In February 2024, Sable acquired the Santa Ynez Unit assets and took over operations of the pipeline system from the previous operator, leveraging its experienced team to ensure efficient and sustainable operations.
What is the Santa Ynez Pipeline System?
The Santa Ynez Pipeline System consists of an offshore pipeline carrying crude oil emulsion produced from the Santa Ynez Unit together with an onshore processing facility located in Las Flores Canyon and an onshore pipeline from Las Flores Canyon to Pentland in Kern County, California. The Santa Ynez Unit consists of three offshore platforms – Hondo, Harmony and Heritage – that produce crude oil and natural gas off the coast of Santa Barbara County. Situated five to nine miles offshore in federal waters, the platforms service 112 wells, including 90 producers, 12 injectors and 10 idle wells.
When does Sable plan to restart operations?
The Santa Ynez Pipeline System restarted in 2025, and Sable began flowing oil into the onshore pipeline segments on March 14, 2026.
What percentage of in-state oil production will be provided?
Once operational, the pipeline system will stabilize the supply of crude oil into the California market, ultimately representing 10-20% of in-state production.
Why is restarting operations essential to California’s energy security?
The Santa Ynez Pipeline System will provide a secure, consistent source of domestic crude oil, replacing approximately 1 million barrels per month of imports. This dependable, lower carbon local supply will reduce California’s reliance on foreign oil and play a key role in enhancing our state’s energy security and independence.
Environmental Responsibility
How will resuming operations reduce carbon intensity?
Resuming operations will reduce the need for oil tanker traffic off California’s coast by replacing over 1 million barrels per month of imported oil with local production. This reduction in long-distance marine transportation can lower carbon intensity by up to 75% compared to current import methods.
What environmental safeguards are in place?
Sable maintains robust environmental safeguards starting with comprehensive employee training across four key areas: safety training for oil and gas-specific practices, operations and maintenance training covering environmental compliance and technical operations, specialized regulatory/environmental training on permit conditions, and emergency response training through Oil Spill Response Plan exercises.
This proactive training program is reinforced by oversight at every level of government, as demonstrated through emergency response drills completed in 2024 and 2025. Those drills included the participation of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the California State Lands Commission, and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Safety
How is Sable ensuring the safety of its operations?
Sable’s team has an excellent safety record, is very familiar with the facilities, understands the operating requirements for these facilities, and is trained and ready to respond to any incident as exemplified by recent successful response drills. The pipeline integrity and safe operation are also overseen by federal regulators at Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The company’s safety measures exceed agencies’ regulatory requirements and include:
- 24/7 pipeline monitoring with enhanced leak detection
- 27 new emergency shutoff devices installed on the onshore segments of the pipeline system
- Regular emergency response drills with state and federal oversight
- Strategically located response teams and equipment for rapid deployment in the event of an incident
- Integrity inspections conducted 10 times more often than regulatory requirements
- Extensive employee safety training programs
What safety improvements has Sable made to the onshore segments of the Santa Ynez Pipeline System?
Sable is committed to world-class quality and safety. The company has completed extensive upgrades to ensure the onshore segments of the pipeline system meet or exceed industry standards, including 24/7 monitoring, automatic shutoff valves, enhanced leak detection and other safety measures that go beyond regulatory requirements. Sable has also successfully completed hydrostatic pressure tests of the entire system to confirm its repair campaign has restored the pipeline to “as new” condition.
Does Sable conduct emergency response drills?
The company conducted multiple emergency response drills under federal and state agency supervision in 2024 and 2025 and will continue to regularly conduct drills as part of our commitment to transparent engagement with regulators.
Economic Impact
How many jobs will Sable create in Santa Barbara County and what types of positions will be available?
Sable employs over 100 employees and worked with 450 contractors on the repair and maintenance of the pipeline system and the offshore platforms. Sable expects to hire up to 200 additional employees to support ongoing production and transportation operations.
How much tax revenue will Sable generate for the local community?
Bringing the system back online is expected to generate $5-8 million a year in tax revenue for Santa Barbara County.
How does Sable support local organizations?
Sable currently provides annual community investments to local organizations, with a focus on educational and business-oriented programs. This support is expected to dramatically increase once pipeline production is restarted.
Sable proudly supports more than a dozen organizations, including the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Santa Barbara County Firefighters Benevolent Foundation, Santa Maria Police Council, Santa Maria Police Officers Association and Lompoc Public Safety Cadets.
Company Background
Who comprises Sable’s leadership team?
Sable’s management team brings over three decades of experience operating oil and gas facilities in Santa Barbara and California. Sable Chairman and CEO James Flores has more than 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He is a member of the National Petroleum Council and was recognized as Executive of the Year by Oil and Gas Investor magazine in 2004.
Their expertise is validated by numerous industry accolades, including U.S. Bureau of Land Management Operator of the Year (2006), multiple California Department of Conservation Environmental Lease Maintenance Awards (2004-2008), and Santa Barbara County commendations for Outstanding Maintenance Practices and “Resolution for Good Operator.”
How many employees does Sable currently have in Santa Barbara?
Sable’s workforce in Santa Barbara consists of over 100 employees. Sable’s employees have an average of 20 years of experience in oil and gas.
What is Sable's insurance coverage?
Sable’s offshore property damage insurance totals $1.23 billion dollars, and the onshore property damage insurance totals $1.3 billion dollars. Sable’s Certificate of Liability Insurance demonstrates $401 million in liability insurance for all of Sable’s assets to cover oil spills, seepage, and pollution, as well as general liability coverage, auto liability, and workers compensation coverage.