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Cost estimate of Los Angeles-area gas leak hits $665 million

FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2015, file photo, provided by Southern California Gas Co., SoCalGas crews and technical experts attempt to safely stop the flow of natural gas leaking from a storage well at the utility's Aliso Canyon facility near the Northridge section of Los Angeles. Sempra Energy says costs from a massive gas leak in Los Angeles have reached $665 million. In an SEC filing in February, SoCalGas, which is owned by Sempra, estimated costs of less than half that, $250 million to $300 million. The massive gas leak that spewed uncontrollably for nearly four months drove thousands of Los Angeles residents to leave their homes. It was capped in late February. (Javier Mendoza/SoCalGas via AP, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2015, file photo, provided by Southern California Gas Co., SoCalGas crews and technical experts attempt to safely stop the flow of natural gas leaking from a storage well at the utility's Aliso Canyon facility near the Northridge section of Los Angeles. Sempra Energy says costs from a massive gas leak in Los Angeles have reached $665 million. In an SEC filing in February, SoCalGas, which is owned by Sempra, estimated costs of less than half that, $250 million to $300 million. The massive gas leak that spewed uncontrollably for nearly four months drove thousands of Los Angeles residents to leave their homes. It was capped in late February. (Javier Mendoza/SoCalGas via AP, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The estimated cost of a massive gas well blowout that spewed methane uncontrollably for nearly four months and uprooted 8,000 Los Angeles families has more than doubled to $665 million, Sempra Energy announced Wednesday.

San Diego-based Sempra had estimated costs of $330 million in its annual report in February, but that was before courts forced its Southern California Gas Co. to continue paying to house thousands of relocated residents.

The gas leak at the Aliso Canyon storage facility was the largest-known release of climate-changing methane in U.S. history, according to scientists. It spewed an estimated 107,000 tons of methane over 16 weeks.

The blowout reported Oct. 23 sickened residents in Porter Ranch and surrounding San Fernando Valley suburbs who complained of headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and other symptoms as the foul-smelling gas wafted over neighborhoods.

SoCalGas has pointed out that public health agencies have found the air quality in the area has returned to normal, though many residents have continued to complain of maladies since the leak was capped in February. Some 3,700 households remain in short- or long-term housing, many because of fears of returning until they are assured their homes are clean and safe.