The former Guadalupe Oil Field, now referred to as the Guadalupe Restoration Project, is an area rich in biological and cultural resources. Oil exploration and production began at the property in the late 1940s. During the operating life of the site, diluent, a refined hydrocarbon similar to kerosene, was used to reduce the viscosity of the heavy crude in oil wells.
Oil production ended in 1994 and Unocal purchased the property in 2002. As Chevron continues the restoration work started by Unocal, we will continue to work closely with regulatory, environmental, and community stakeholders to preserve this sensitive habitat while we fulfill our commitments.
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1947
Oil production began at the Guadalupe Oil Field.
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1953
Union Oil acquired the Guadalupe Oil Field.
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1955
Diluent, a kerosene-like hydrocarbon, was placed into the wells to improve flow of the heavy crude oil.
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1990
Use of diluent was discontinued.
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1994
Union Oil ceased all oil production from the field. Project and remediation work started under an emergency permit from the United States Coast Guard.
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1998
San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, Regional Water Quality Contrail Board, California Coastal Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Services, and US EPA approved a plan to clean up the diluent that leaked from pipelines in the field and remediate the oil field.
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2005
Chevron acquired Union Oil and continued the remediation work.