California Resumes Oil Production Through Santa Ynez Pipeline

Sable Offshore Corp. restarts sales, boosting domestic supply and energy security

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:50am

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A geometric abstract illustration composed of overlapping triangles and rectangles in shades of blue, orange, and gray, conceptually representing the interconnected systems of domestic oil production, transportation, and distribution.Domestic oil production and distribution through American infrastructure bolsters energy security and economic resilience.Santa Ynez Today

Sable Offshore Corp. has resumed oil sales through the Santa Ynez Pipeline System in Santa Barbara County, California, after the pipeline was idle since 2015. The company is now piping more than 50,000 barrels of oil per day from storage to a Chevron refinery, providing a boost to domestic oil supply and energy security.

Why it matters

Increased domestic oil production helps restrain rising gas prices and the costs of goods and services that rely on transportation. It also supports the U.S. military and improves energy self-reliance, despite opposition from California's Attorney General who wants to limit oil production in the state.

The details

Sable Offshore Corp. announced it had begun selling oil through the previously idle Santa Ynez Pipeline System, following national security orders from the Trump administration. The pipeline is now transporting over 50,000 barrels of oil per day from storage in Las Flores Canyon to a Chevron refinery at Pentland Station for distribution.

  • Sable Offshore Corp. announced the pipeline restart on Sunday, March 30, 2026.
  • The Santa Ynez Pipeline System had been idle since 2015 prior to the recent restart.

The players

Sable Offshore Corp.

An oil and gas company that has resumed operations of the Santa Ynez Pipeline System in Santa Barbara County, California.

Rob Bonta

The California Attorney General who has sued to halt the pipeline restart, claiming the state should control whether oil can be shipped and sold in California.

Jim Flores

The CEO of Sable Offshore Corp. who stated the company is "providing American oil from American soil through an American pipeline to an American refinery [Chevron] for American consumers and the United States military."

Chevron

The American oil company that operates the refinery receiving the oil transported through the Santa Ynez Pipeline System.

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What they’re saying

“we are providing American oil from American soil through an American pipeline to an American refinery [Chevron] for American consumers and the United States military”

— Jim Flores, CEO, Sable Offshore Corp.

What’s next

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit to try to halt the pipeline restart, setting up a legal battle over control of oil production in the state.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions in California between the state's climate policies that aim to limit fossil fuel use, and the practical reality that the state and the country still rely heavily on oil for transportation, consumer goods, and national security. The restart of the Santa Ynez Pipeline demonstrates how domestic oil production can help stabilize prices and supply, despite political opposition.