The leaking natural gas storage well near Porter Ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles has been permanently sealed and shut down, after spewing methane into the atmosphere for months, California officials say.
Southern California Gas Co., the utility that owns the leaking well at its Aliso Canyon storage facility, announced Thursday that the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources has confirmed that the well is sealed for good.
The well had been leaking since late October, and was brought under control last week, after releasing more than 5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. California regulators recorded video of the moment the leak was sealed (the gas is invisible to the naked eye, but can be viewed on infrared camera):
The well will now be taken out of service and never used again, as ordered by California regulators.