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Massive gas leak near Los Angeles plugged after 16 weeks

FILE - This Dec. 17, 2015 file photo provided by Earthworks shows an overhead aerial view of the relief well at the Aliso Canyon facility above the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles. The utility says it has stopped the natural gas leak near Los Angeles after nearly 4 months. (Pete Dronkers/Earthworks via AP,File)
FILE - This Dec. 17, 2015 file photo provided by Earthworks shows an overhead aerial view of the relief well at the Aliso Canyon facility above the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles. The utility says it has stopped the natural gas leak near Los Angeles after nearly 4 months. (Pete Dronkers/Earthworks via AP,File) FILE - This Dec. 17, 2015 file photo provided by Earthworks shows an overhead aerial view of the relief well at the Aliso Canyon facility above the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles. The utility says it has stopped the natural gas leak near Los Angeles after nearly 4 months. (Pete Dronkers/Earthworks via AP,File)

By Associated Press 4 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – A blowout at a natural gas well that gushed uncontrollably for 16 weeks and drove thousands of residents from their Los Angeles homes was plugged Thursday, a utility said.

While the well still needs to be permanently sealed with cement and inspected by state regulators, the announcement by Southern California Gas Co. marked the first time the leak has been under control since it was reported Oct. 23.

“We have temporarily controlled the natural gas flow from the leaking well and begun the process of sealing the well and permanently stopping the leak,” Jimmie Cho, a SoCalGas senior vice president, said in a statement.

The leak is expected to cost the company, a division of Sempra Energy, at least $250 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

That figure could climb much higher because it only accounts for costs of capping the well and relocating about 6,400 families. It does not include potential damages from more than two dozen lawsuits, penalties from government agencies and expenses to mitigate pollution.