Notice

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on Platform Gilda Well Stimulation Treatment

A Notice by the Ocean Energy Management Bureau on 03/18/2026

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• Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-05319 (91 FR 13063) Document Headings ###### Department of the Interior

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

1. [Docket No. BOEM-2025-0714]

AGENCY:

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

Consistent with the U.S. Department of the Interior (Department or DOI) regulations and handbook implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and DOI's alternative arrangements to comply with NEPA during a national emergency, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to consider the impacts of DCOR, L.L.C.'s (DCOR) proposal to supplement its existing approved Development and Production Plan (DPP). The proposed supplemental DPP details information and procedures for proposed Well Stimulation Treatments (WST), including hydraulic fracturing, for Platform Gilda, which is offshore Ventura, California. This NOI serves to announce the scoping process BOEM will use to identify significant ( printed page 13064) issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the Platform Gilda Well Stimulation Treatment Environmental Impact Statement (WST EIS) (Unique Identification Number DOI-BOEM-PC-2026-0003-EIS). The supplemental DPP considers hydraulic fracturing of up to 16 existing wells to increase reservoir permeability in order to optimize hydrocarbon recovery.

DATES:

BOEM will consider comments from all interested parties, including Tribes, Federal, State, and local governments, and the general public. Written comments must be submitted by March 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Information regarding the scoping process for the EIS is available on the BOEM website at: https://www.boem.gov/​GildaWST. Written comments can be submitted through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket BOEM-2025-0714, or “Platform Gilda Well Stimulation Treatment Environmental Impact Statement”, and click on the “Comment” button. Enter your information and comment, and then click “Submit.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the Platform Gilda Well Stimulation Treatment Environmental Impact Statement, the submission of comments, or BOEM's policies associated with this notice, please contact Susan Zaleski, Acting Regional Supervisor, Office of Environment, BOEM, Pacific OCS Region,760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010, (805) 384-6328 or PacificRegion.Environment@boem.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Platform Gilda (Lease number OCS P-0216) is located on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (POCS), approximately nine miles southwest of Ventura, California in the Santa Barbara Channel and lies within the Santa Clara Unit of federal OCS leases. The platform was installed in 1981 in approximately 205 feet of water and has operated continuously since its installation. The original DPP and Environmental Report were prepared by Union Oil Company of California in November 1979 and approved by BOEM's predecessor, the U.S. Geological Survey, in December 1980. An update to the DPP was submitted in October 1985 and approved in July 1986. More information is available on the BOEM website at: https://www.boem.gov/​regions/​pacific-ocs-region/​oil-gas/​development-and-production-plans-pacific.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

The purpose of the Proposed Action is to enhance the recovery of petroleum and gas from an existing oil platform on the POCS, beyond that which could be recovered without the use of WSTs.

The need for the proposed action is to further the conservation and orderly development of OCS oil and gas resources in accordance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953 (OCSLA), as amended (43 United States Code [U.S.C.] 1331 et seq.) through the efficient recovery of oil and gas reserves from the POCS. The enhancement of resource extraction from an existing platform using existing infrastructure avoids the impacts of new development activities or infrastructure. Oil serves as the feedstock for a variety of liquid hydrocarbon products, among them transportation fuels and various petrochemicals. Natural gas is generally considered an environmentally preferable alternative to other fossil fuels to generate electricity or for residential and industrial heating, and is an important feedstock for manufacturing fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and packaging.

Proposed Action and Preliminary Alternatives

The Proposed Action (Alternative A and the agency Preferred Alternative) evaluated in this EIS is to approve the proposed supplemental DPP to allow the use of WSTs.

Under Alternative A, DCOR would be authorized to conduct hydraulic fracturing of up to 16 existing wells on Platform Gilda. This action is intended to improve hydrocarbon recovery from low-permeability zones by increasing effective reservoir permeability and bypassing near-wellbore formation damage. Permeability is a measure of a rock's ability to allow fluids to flow through it—low permeability rocks restrict fluid flow. Hydraulic fracturing creates artificial channels (fractures) or enlarges flow pathways through which the fluid can flow.

Platform Gilda produces from three different geologic formations. These include the Pico, Repetto, and the Monterey. The Repetto formation is the target of the WST program because it is a low-permeability geological formation, making it suitable for well stimulation. Reservoir simulation studies and recent geologic interpretation have identified four well stimulation target locations in the Upper Repetto and 12 well stimulation target locations in the Lower Repetto, for a total of 16 locations. Each treatment will be preceded by a Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test (DFIT) to collect formation-specific pressure and fracture gradient data. This information is used to calibrate stimulation designs using reservoir modeling software. Hydraulic fracturing works by injecting fluids at high pressure into the target formation to create narrow, controlled fractures in the rock. Once the fractures are initiated, a proppant—typically sand or ceramic spheres—is carried into the formation by the fracturing fluid. The proppant remains in the fractures after pressure is released, holding them open to maintain improved flow paths for hydrocarbons.

In total, the full stimulation program may include up to 38 treatment stages distributed across 16 wells, with each Upper Repetto well expected to require 2 stages, and each Lower Repetto well expected to require 2.5 stages on average. Each stage is expected to take 6 hours from start to finish. Of this, 4 hours are dedicated to active pumping operations, and 2 hours of “standby” for engineering analysis and final redesign. It is anticipated that up to 6 wells could be stimulated per year, depending on operational logistics, permitting timelines, and equipment availability.

The base fluid for all treatments will be filtered seawater sourced from the surrounding marine environment using Platform Gilda's existing seawater pumps. All flowback fluid generated during stimulation activities will be routed through a closed-loop handling system and retained on the Platform. Returned stimulation fluids will be re-injected into existing injection wells on the Platform. No offshore discharge of flowback fluids will occur. Solid waste, such as residual sand or other materials, will be separated and contained for transport to a licensed onshore disposal facility. All liquid waste will be disposed of in accordance with the platform's currently approved National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

In this EIS, BOEM expects to consider the Proposed Action and a No Action Alternative (Alternative B).

Under Alternative B, the use of WSTs from Platform Gilda would not be approved, potentially reducing the amount of petroleum and gas recovered from existing wells on the POCS, beyond that which could be recovered without the use of WSTs. Without the use of WSTs, overall production from the existing platform Gilda is likely to be reduced absent any additional recovery measures. At the same time, if energy demand continues at current levels or increases, the No Action ( printed page 13065) Alternative could increase the need for development of other sources of energy.

Several alternatives were considered but not carried forward for analysis in this EIS because they are not applicable to the conditions and geological formations described in the Proposed Action or are technically infeasible. These include:

• Implosive/explosive fracturing—Pressure pulses in the wellbore from explosives. This process has generally fallen out of favor due to variable results and has been replaced by hydraulic fracturing. These uncertainties include potential wellbore damage, the creation of short fractures, and safety concern with handling explosives.
• Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques, including waterflood, gas injection (CO2), and chemical flooding (the use of polymers and surfactants to modify fluid properties, improved sweep efficiency, reduced surface tension between oil and water). All of these techniques are context dependent, meaning they can be used only when appropriate based on reservoir mineralogy, fluid properties, and company objectives. Other techniques, such as acidizing, are only effective in carbonate reservoirs (while the Upper and Lower Repetto are clastic reservoirs). Thermal recovery methods are suitable for heavy oil and bitumen, whereas the higher range oil gravity present within the Repetto reservoirs can be produced without additional heating.

Summary of Potential Impacts

Potential impacts to resources may include impacts on air quality; water quality; geologic resources/seismicity; benthic communities and habitats; fishes and invertebrates; marine and coastal birds; marine mammals and sea turtles; economic factors; and cultural, historical, and archaeological resources. These potential impacts will be analyzed in the Platform Gilda WST EIS.

Based on a preliminary evaluation of these resources, BOEM expects potential impacts on the resources listed above from routine air emissions, discharges and wastes, vessel traffic, noise, and lighting. Additional impacts may occur from accidental events, such as unintentional releases into the environment, response activities, or vessel strikes and collisions.

On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump declared a national energy emergency and directed the heads of executive departments and agencies, including the Secretary of the Interior, to “identify and exercise any lawful emergency authorities available to them, as well as all other lawful authorities they may possess, to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources, including, but not limited to, on Federal lands” (Sec. 2(a), Executive Order (E.O.) 14156, “Declaring a National Energy Emergency”). The definition of energy resources includes “crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals, as defined by 30 U.S.C. 1606(a)(3) ” (Sec. 8(a), E.O. 14156).

During an emergency, a Department of the Interior (Department) Responsible Official—which includes the Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, can adopt alternative arrangements to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before taking urgently needed actions (43 CFR 46.150). On the April 23, 2025, the Department published the “Alternative Arrangements NEPA During National Energy Emergency.”

In accordance with these alternative arrangements, BOEM will complete this EIS process within approximately 28 days. Public comments on preparation of the Platform Gilda WST EIS will be accepted during a 10-day scoping comment period. After the Platform Gilda WST EIS is completed, BOEM will make the EIS available on its website and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will publish a notice of availability. A decision on whether and under what circumstances to approve the supplemental DPP will be announced in a Record of Decision, as appropriate.

Scoping Process

This NOI does not announce a decision to approve activities but serves to commence the information gathering process for identifying issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the DCOR WST EIS. Comments received during the scoping period will inform the scope and content of the WST EIS. Throughout the scoping process, Tribal, Federal, State, and local governments, and the general public have the opportunity to provide input to BOEM in determining significant resources, issues, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigation measures to be analyzed in the EIS, and to provide additional information. BOEM will consider additional information, alternatives and/or mitigation suggestions identified during the comment period initiated by this NOI in the preparation of the WST EIS.

Cooperating Agencies

BOEM, as the lead agency, invites qualified government entities, such as Federally Recognized Tribes, other Federal agencies, and State and local governments, to consider becoming cooperating agencies for the preparation of the Platform Gilda WST EIS. Following the guidelines in Section 1.7 of the DOI NEPA Handbook and DOI's NEPA implementing regulations at 43 CFR part 46, qualified agencies and governments are those with “jurisdiction by law or special expertise.” Potential cooperating agencies should consider their authority and capacity to assume the responsibilities of a cooperating agency under a 28-day timeline for EIS development and remember that an agency's role in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the final decision-making authority of any other agency involved in the NEPA process. Upon request, BOEM will provide potential cooperating agencies with a written summary of guidelines for cooperating agencies, including time schedules, responsibilities, scope and detail of cooperating agencies' contributions, and availability of pre-decisional information. BOEM anticipates this summary will form the basis for a Memorandum of Understanding between BOEM and any cooperating agency. BOEM, as the lead agency, will not provide financial assistance to cooperating agencies. For additional information about cooperating agencies, please contact Susan Zaleski, Acting Regional Supervisor, Office of Environment, BOEM (805-384-6328) or susan.zaleski@boem.gov.

Request for Comments

All interested parties, including Tribes, Federal, State, and local governments, and the general public, may submit written comments on the scope of the Platform Gilda WST EIS, significant issues, reasonable alternatives, potential mitigation measures, and the types of oil and gas activities of interest in the proposed lease sale areas. Federally recognized tribal nations wishing to comment may choose when and how to convey their input, including through the comment process described here, and they may also choose to request government-to-government consultation.

Comments that you submit in response to this NOI are a matter of public record. You should be aware that your entire comment—including your ( printed page 13066) address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information included in your comment—may be made publicly available at any time. Even if BOEM withholds your personally identifiable information in the context of this NOI, your comment is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552). Your information will only be withheld if a determination is made that one of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance with the Department's FOIA implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and applicable laws.

In order for BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your personally identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover letter, any information contained in the submittal of your comments that, if released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful consequences of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm. Note that BOEM will make available for public inspection, in their entirety, all comments submitted by organizations and businesses, or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or businesses.

Authority: This NOI is published pursuant to DOI's regulations (43 CFR part 46) implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

Matthew Giacona,

Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

[FR Doc. 2026-05319 Filed 3-17-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4340-98-P

Published Document: 2026-05319 (91 FR 13063)