Oil production to restart offshore of Santa Barbara County

January 2, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

Sable Offshore can now resume offshore oil production at all three of its platforms off the Santa Barbara County coastline, following a federal appeals court ruling on Wednesday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against request by environmental groups to stay enforcement of the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s emergency special permit for the Las Flores Pipeline System.

In 2015, a pipe owned by Plains All American Pipeline ruptured near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County, causing more than 100,000 gallons of oil to spill. About 21,000 gallons flowed into a culvert and then into a ditch that drains into the ocean.

The spill spread over 9 miles of mostly sandy beaches and led to the closure of the three offshore drilling platforms and the pipeline, which are now owned by Sable.

In May, Sable resumed oil production in federal waters offshore of Santa Barbara County. It started extracting oil from one of three platforms that had been closed since the 2015 spill.

The resumption of offshore oil production began just a month after the California Coastal Commission fined Sable $18 million and ordered a halt to their work for not obtaining necessary permits. The company disputes the Coastal Commission’s finding, arguing it has all the required permits for its operations.

Environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, have criticized the offshore oil production restart, citing risks to sensitive habits and species.

Sable Offshore had planned to restart oil production at all three of its Central Coast offshore facilities by the end of 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s energy dominance initiative. The goal of the initiative is to achieve U.S. energy independence and lower energy prices by expanding production and exports.

On July 23, a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge issued a partial preliminary injunction ordering Sable to inform the court after it receives all necessary permits to begin operations of the Santa Ynez pipeline. Sable informed the court and environmental groups appealed.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday denied an emergency motion for a stay filed by the environmental groups.

Following the ruling, Sable Offshore’s stock rose 30% on Friday.