Posted on 07/29/2025 4:00:30 AM PDT by george76
In a remarkable move, President Donald Trump’s administration has successfully reopened a key oil reserve in the Pacific Ocean after it was offline for a decade.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum led the charge to restart the Santa Ynez Unit in just five months.
The region is estimated to contain 190 million barrels of recoverable oil.
The reserve is capable of providing 80 percent of regional production.
The effort had been delayed for years under previous administrations due to bureaucratic red tape.
The Santa Ynez Unit, which had been out of operation since 2015 due to an oil spill caused by an aging pipeline, is now primed to become a major contributor to America’s energy production.
Despite a laundry list of environmental reviews and permitting hurdles, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) announced Friday that production is set to resume.
It marks a significant achievement in the Trump administration’s push for energy independence.
“Under the leadership of Secretary Doug Burgum, the Department of the Interior has taken decisive action to cut through red tape and streamline permitting processes that had stalled the development of Sable’s offshore energy resources for years,” an Interior Department spokesperson said in a statement.
This major victory for U.S. energy comes just months after Houston-based Sable Energy acquired the site from ExxonMobil and set its sights on reopening the platforms.
President Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda was at the heart of the decision to cut through regulatory delays and get the region back online quickly, signaling a major shift away from the energy restrictions pushed by the left.
BSEE Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens made it clear:
“That’s what ‘energy dominance’ looks like: results, not delays.”
Despite the rapid progress, the move has sparked fierce opposition from Democrats, particularly from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA).
Schiff and Carbajal have been vocal critics of reopening the Santa Ynez oil field.
In a joint letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, they warned that the region is still recovering from recent fires and alleged “climate disasters” which they claim are exacerbated by fossil fuel-driven “global warming.”
Schiff and Carbajal have consistently opposed offshore drilling by promoting globalist talking points about fossil fuels.
They also criticized the Trump administration’s broader offshore drilling agenda, which they argue threatens California’s coastline and marine ecosystems.
“Santa Barbara knows firsthand how devastating oil spills can be on our marine ecosystems and coastline,” Carbajal said in April, when he introduced a bill to permanently ban offshore oil exploration in California.
He added that California’s “world-famous coastline must be protected for future generations to enjoy.”
However, the Trump administration and Sable Energy have pushed forward, defying these concerns and delivering a key victory for American energy.
With three oil platforms expected to be online by the end of the year, the Santa Ynez Unit is poised to make a significant impact on the U.S. energy supply.
While the debate continues, it is clear that Trump’s commitment to restoring American energy independence is yielding results.
The resurgence of oil production in the Pacific is proof that the country can achieve energy security without relying on foreign sources.
In contrast to the paralysis of the past, this bold action is helping to restore the promise of American energy dominance, benefiting not only the economy but also national security.
As Schiff and Carbajal continue to rally against it, the reopening of Santa Ynez is a powerful reminder that America’s energy future lies in the hands of leaders who prioritize the country’s interests over globalist agendas that jeopardize growth and prosperity while emboldening America’s enemies.
More winning
Are we going to need more refineries?
What’s the threat to California’s coastline? Our feet were practically covered in tar balls from natural oil seeps after going to beaches between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, and the tar wasn’t from any drilling.
The U.S. will never be energy independent. That’s not how the global economy works.
“The region is estimated to contain 190 million barrels of recoverable oil.”
If Trump called it a ‘wind farm’ the Democrats would be climbing over each other to support him. As it is, 190M barrels is enough to last this country about 9 days, so not exactly “massive”, but still a start, and likely much more in the Pacific.
I always hear these stories about the eleventy-gabillion barrels found at such and such, or the 150 years worth of lithium found in the U.S. or whatever, but prices keep going up. You have to pull the trigger, dig, drill and build refineries/factories or else we ain’t got sh@%
Drill, Baby Drill!
Dems: “How dare they bring jobs, money and energy independence to our constituents!”
CC
How is this move “remarkable”?
It’s exactly what I would expect from President Trump!
“The U.S. is one of the top oil exporting countries. So……..there will be more to export.”
You need to look up the definition of the word “fungible”.
Oil prices keep going up?
In Florida, everything is going up. Hard to live here any more
The USA could burn through 190M bbl in 10 days.
So did the ancient Chumash. When oil tars leaked naturally back in their day, they understood that it was useful for making their reed baskets water resistant. White man took that away.
Except that gasoline prices have been dropping all year so what you stated doesn’t quite seem accurate
Given the EU deal as well as the effect on our economy getting energy out of the ground is a priority.
There's a lot of truth in that. Another part is inflation. Even with normal inflation the price of gas isn't going to be as low as it was in 2019 (the last Trump year before covid distorted energy prices, making 2020 gas prices an unrealistic goal to try to achieve again). As an example, gas is currently $2.899/gal where I live, which is higher than the $1.899 it was in 2019. At 3% inflation for 6 years, that would be $2.27 today. Perhaps that's achievable?
Have we refilled our own Strategic Oil Reserve, yet? Not all the way and not until the end of 2025!
‘US will not complete oil deliveries into its reserve until year-end - June 26, 2025 (Yahoo)
THAT needs to be a priority after Brandon SOLD IT ALL! *SPIT*
Hoping this current move will speed things up. AND - how about some legislation that bars an idiot ‘_Resident’ ala Brandon, from ever doing this again?!?!
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