Honor Rancho Natural Gas Storage Facility

Meeting Customers' Energy Needs 

For nearly 50 years, SoCalGas' natural gas storage operations in the Santa Clarita Valley have played a key role in meeting the region’s energy needs to nearly 21 million consumers throughout Central and Southern California.

SoCalGas’ natural gas storage facilities, including Honor Rancho, provide a steady supply of natural gas, particularly during peak demand periods, helping to maintain energy reliability and affordability, which supports our mission: Safe, reliable, and affordable energy delivery today. Ready for tomorrow.  

Honor Rancho has porous rock formations that were once natural oil and gas reservoirs for millions of years. They are now used to store natural gas that is withdrawn as needed to help balance supplies with customer demand. These subterranean rock formations are sealed by impermeable shale rock more than 2,000 feet thick and more than a mile beneath the earth’s surface.   

Our Commitment to Safety

The Facility is equipped with a series of safety systems that protect our employees, contractors, and the neighboring community. It includes an emergency shutdown system, pressure safety valves, and various safety system sensors (including methane, fire, and vibration). Honor Rancho is staffed by onsite employees to operate the facility and monitor the safety systems 24 hours a day.   

Gas storage operations are closely monitored for compliance by multiple agencies, including the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM); California Public Utilities Commission; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Los Angeles County Fire Department; and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). 

We also hold annual safety meetings with first responders to enhance communications and emergency response; attendees have included City employees, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Sheriff's Department, along with the local ambulance service.

Maintenance Activities 

We occasionally vent natural gas during storage operations and maintenance work. Natural gas is lighter than air, so it safely dissipates harmlessly into the atmosphere. 

During venting activities, we carefully monitor the amount of natural gas released to ensure safe operations and to comply with air quality regulations. Because natural gas is odorless and colorless, we add a pungent odorant to help detect natural gas leaks. This odorant is safe, but it may be noticeable to neighbors during venting activities. To help reduce the impact of potential odors, we control the amount and velocity of the venting natural gas by reducing pressures in pipelines and equipment. When possible, we plan venting activities on weekends when the potential impact to other businesses in the area will be reduced. We notify neighbors, City departments and first responders prior to planned venting operations that may result in odors. 

We strive to minimize the volume of natural gas released during these operations. Every planned release is reviewed and coordinated to reduce the amount of natural gas released to atmosphere. 

Minimizing Our Footprint 

We have taken a number of steps to reduce environmental impacts at Honor Rancho. These include: 

• Complying with environmental regulations and requirements.
• Identifying and avoiding sensitive biological areas.
• Scheduling activities to avoid animal life cycles.
• Reducing emissions.