NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – The State of California and the City of Newport Beach will begin an emergency remediation effort this week to address the source of methane and oil leakage discovered in late October at a residential home near Marcus Avenue and 36th Street.
The leakage is believed to originate from an abandoned 1920s-era private oil well beneath the neighborhood. Following temporary stabilization of the site by the City of Newport Beach, the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) agreed to oversee an emergency drilling operation to locate and repair the abandoned well.
Crews began preparatory site work last week; The drill rig is expected to arrive December 3rd where specialized contractors will initiate the emergency drilling operation. The remediation work is expected to take between 3 and 4 weeks, extending through late December.
The operation will be paid through a State fund for abandoned oil wells with no known owners, also known as “orphan” wells. The City is supporting the operation by facilitating the construction and street closures, notifying residents and overseeing the safety of the operation.
The remediation effort will involve:
- Drilling a new angled well from the intersection of Marcus Avenue and 36th Street.
- Intercepting the original 1920s well several hundred feet below ground.
- “Re-abandoning” the well at the oil-bearing source, roughly 800 feet deep, to prevent future gas or oil migration.
- 24-hour drilling operations to complete the work as quickly and safely as possible.
This effort requires continuous activity and will generate noise along with restricted garage access for some homes, removal of on-street parking and traffic controls.
Residents should expect:
- Continuous construction operations for 3-4 weeks.
- Limited or no access to garages near the work zone.
- Full street closure at the drilling site (Marcus Avenue and 36th Street).
- Removal of on-street parking and detoured pedestrian access.
- Heavy equipment and contractor activity throughout the month.
- Street restoration and repaving after the project concludes.
Trash services will continue as scheduled, with contractor assistance, and detour signage will be posted.
The City’s Public Works, Utilities, Police, and Fire departments are working closely with CalGEM to expedite the work, protect public health and maintain communication with affected residents.
In late October, the City declared a Local Emergency and ordered evacuations after officials discovered methane and oil intrusion at 3606 Marcus Ave. that posed a fire and safety hazard. While signs of oil seepage had been detected several months earlier, there were no signs of methane that presented a public safety emergency at the time.
When methane was found, City crews and Orange County Health officials quickly responded, installing ventilation systems to safely vent the methane. These systems successfully reduced gas concentrations to safe levels and residents of surrounding homes were allowed to return. The property at 3606 Marcus Ave. remains red-tagged indefinitely.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for Newport Notified text alerts to receive emergency information.
