Two State Courts Issue Rulings to Stop Sable from Restarting Crude Pipeline
Two courts issued rulings to stop Sable Offshore Corp. from restarting the 124-mile pipeline that leaked over 100,000 gallons in the 2015 Refugio oil spill. Sable announced on May 19, 2025 that it completed its pipeline repairs and restarted oil production at the Santa Ynez Unit and has begun flowing oil production to its Las Flores Canyon processing facility.
Preliminary injunction
On May 28, 2025, a Superior Court judge in Santa Barbara issued a preliminary injunction to stop Sable from repairs on the pipeline. The California Coastal Commission requested the injunction on April 16, 2025, when it filed a cross-complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief against Sable in a lawsuit that began in February 2025.
Sable sued the Coastal Commission in February, after the commission issued a second cease-and-desist order. Sable argued that the Coastal Commission does not have the authority to stop work on the pipeline, as the work falls under the commission’s permits issued to the pipeline’s original owner. Sable maintained that it is performing “repair and maintenance,” not building a new pipeline, and that it has the right to conduct repairs under contracts it acquired from ExxonMobil.
Temporary restraining order
On June 3, 2025, in a separate case, a different Superior Court judge in Santa Barbara issued a temporary restraining order against the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Sable, aimed at blocking a waiver from the state fire marshal that allowed Sable to restart the pipeline. The order prevents the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Sable from “proceeding with the restart and operation of the Las Flores Pipeline System…” until July 18, 2025.
The order is part of an April 15, 2024 suit that the Environmental Defense Center and the Center for Biological Diversity filed against the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The groups argued that the fire marshal did not comply with environmental review and pipeline safety laws before issuing the waivers for this flawed pipeline.
Sable, however, maintains that it has permission to restart the pipeline. “This court decision does not impede Sable’s preparations for restarting the flow of oil critical to lowering California’s gas prices and stabilizing supply,” Steve Rusch, Sable’s vice president of Environmental & Regulatory Affairs, said in a statement.
“Restart of the Las Flores Pipeline System is governed by a federal consent decree, approved by a federal judge and agreed to by the United States of America and 10 other federal and state agencies. Sable is in full compliance with that consent decree and will seek to protect our rights and enforce the legal process,” Rusch said.
A follow-up hearing to discuss a preliminary injunction is scheduled for July 18, 2025.