Crews in Newport Beach are conducting an around-the-clock drilling operation to fix an abandoned 1920s-era oil well that leaked methane and oil into a home on the Balboa Peninsula.
“The state of CA & city of Newport Beach are beginning emergency remediation of an abandoned 1920s oil well near Marcus Ave & 36th St.,” the Newport Beach Police Department announced Saturday on X. “A specialized drill rig has arrived, with nighttime and 24/7 operations for the next 10 days.”
The emergency drilling is happening near Marcus Avenue and 36th street. This is the same area where residents had to evacuate back in October.
The city declared a local emergency when the seeping methane gas was discovered in October. The home at 3606 Marcus Ave. has been red-tagged.
The city had declared a local emergency when a homeowner reported methane gas leaking into their home.
That gas came from an abandoned oil well 800 feet underneath the neighborhood.
After that leak happened, the concern wasn’t people breathing it in, but more so the destruction that could happen if the methane caught fire.
Thick, sticky, dark black oil seeped inside one home up from under the walls and furniture.
Crews took over the neighborhood Sunday night and will continue working around the clock for the next 10 days, according to Newport Police.
Police added that nearby residents should expect to hear nighttime construction noise, a full street closure at Marcus and 36th Street, limited garage access near the site and no on-street parking.
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