California’s oil production had already peaked and begun to decline when my career began 30 years ago, and its production is now only 25% of that peak. Some people want the decline to continue more quickly, and some want it to decline more slowly. But either way the final chapter of California’s epic history of oil production has come into view.
This convocation does not intend to determine how fast or how slow production declines. Instead, it intends to examine how to finish strong—efficiently, effectively, and completely—as production does wind down.
We are bringing together diverse perspectives, from industry and academia to government and NGOs. So diverse, in fact, that some perspectives on other aspects of the oil industry are not entirely compatible among all the participants. But I think that we can agree across this spectrum that there is no moral case for venting and that there is no public good from orphaning wells to the public fisc. Whatever else we may disagree about, we can agree that California’s oil fields should be cleaned up whenever they do quit producing. Plus, we can probably agree that decommissioning will bring a great deal of employment and economic activity.
I find that the more complicated the problem, the more it benefits from diverse perspectives and open discussion. If you want to be part of writing the best possible version of this last chapter, then I encourage you to attend and to contribute your insight and your passion to this project.
I hope to see you there.
