Energy secretary directs Texas oil company to restore operations off California

CBS News
March 14, 2026
4 views
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Energy Secretary uses wartime powers to force Texas company to restart California offshore drilling.

How This Affects You

California gas prices may be affected as federal government forces oil production restart off your coast.

AI Summary

Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the Defense Production Act to force Texas-based Sable Offshore Corp. to restore operations at its Santa Ynez oil unit and pipeline off Santa Barbara's coastline. The order uses wartime production powers typically reserved for national security emergencies to compel the company's compliance. Wright's directive represents an aggressive federal intervention in private energy operations along California's coast. The company must now restore the offshore oil infrastructure or face potential legal penalties under the Defense Production Act.

What's Being Done

The Defense Production Act has been invoked to compel the company's compliance with restoration orders.

Source Coverage Map

5 of 43 tracked sources covered this story

Overlooked Story
12% coverage
Did Not Cover (38)
ICIJ97AP World News96AP News96AP US News96AP Top News96+33 more

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

US Energy Secretary deletes post that Navy escorted tanker through Strait of Hormuz
National Security

US Energy Secretary deletes post that Navy escorted tanker through Strait of Hormuz

A brief social media post by the US Energy Secretary caused the Trump administration to do a major U-turn. Within 30 minutes, Secretary Chris Wright posted - and deleted - that the US Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite its short life, the claim sent oil markets into a frenzy, sparked a denial from the White House and triggered mockery from Iranian officials. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

AFP / France 24Mar 11
Energy secretary says he’ll personally review X posts after military escort gaffe
Politics

Energy secretary says he’ll personally review X posts after military escort gaffe

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday that he is going to personally review his posts on the social platform X after deleting a post about a military escort that the White House disputed. “My last question for you is, there was the X post the other day that came from the Department of Energy, that…

The HillMar 12
Exclusive: Trump reviews options to curb energy prices as Iran strikes roil markets - Reuters
Politics

Exclusive: Trump reviews options to curb energy prices as Iran strikes roil markets - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxQT0Z5U1Z0Tkp2RmVmdGlWMWRuVm5GaXdER25ZdnA3X0V5eHBZTlI2YlhWWmlDME9mblVaV2JZNFh5QVJiTDAxRlpMNWRqbUNWLXN0V0pJUTB4NWEtX3V2Q3hYN0hoSDFkOVQ5MzlFVm5fbnBoZ3lZNkVsRElDVk8tcU9wdktDb2xfRzlpc1F1bU5kU1R1bjZQZkNWSGdwZjRiem9LU0JhMlUzSnYxM1pzZVlRQko3Z2FBa3c?oc=5" target="_blank">Exclusive: Trump reviews options to curb energy prices as Iran strikes roil markets</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersMar 9
Trump's energy chief: "No guarantees" gas prices will fall in weeks
Politics

Trump's energy chief: "No guarantees" gas prices will fall in weeks

<p>Energy Secretary <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/11/trump-strategic-oil-reserve-gas-prices-iran-war" target="_blank">Chris Wright</a> said Sunday there are "no guarantees" when <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/09/oil-prices-iran-war-strait-hormuz" target="_blank">gas prices will fall</a>, acknowledging the Strait of Hormuz remains unsafe.</p><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>Administration officials are adamant the pump price shock will be short-lived pain for a geopolitical gain. But the spike in prices threatens to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/12/gas-prices-iran-trump" target="_blank">become a political liability</a>.</p><hr><ul><li>Yet the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/" target="_blank">Energy Information Administration</a> in Wright's own department forecasts gas won't fall back to pre-conflict levels before the end of 2027.</li></ul><p><strong>Driving the news: </strong>After he said there would be a "period of short-term disruption," W...

AxiosMar 15
U.S. to release 172 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve as prices surge
Global

U.S. to release 172 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve as prices surge

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that the United States will release 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of the International Energy Agency's efforts to combat steep oil prices amid the Iran war.

PBS NewsHourMar 12
Iran keeps up pressure on oil infrastructure as concerns of global energy crisis grow - AP News
Global

Iran keeps up pressure on oil infrastructure as concerns of global energy crisis grow - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxPNHlpakYzV29uWUcta3BPbDdFZnk2cEQ5WlNkZ0FHczdodk9Rb1hNZWEtRXRiQnE5THllenhSYzBlRnMzTU51N0U1d2xqeWx6aWdYek0wblE5NFpuV3NJMGNQdlRBU2phclQ0T3RXcnJlYnRrYTJzTlh4MktmYlF3NW9Fa2YwbXpmNGVzV3pMSGl1cUk2T0ozdV81dVQ2YUFJ?oc=5" target="_blank">Iran keeps up pressure on oil infrastructure as concerns of global energy crisis grow</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 11
Read Next
Trump says US destroyed every military target on Iran’s Kharg Island, threatens oil infrastructure if tankers blocked
National Security

Trump says US destroyed every military target on Iran’s Kharg Island, threatens oil infrastructure if tankers blocked

President Trump said on Friday that the U.S. military conducted one of the most “powerful” bombing raids and totally “obliterated” every military target on Iran’s Kharg Island, one of the country’s most vital economic outposts.  The president said that for “reasons of decency,” the U.S. military did not wipe out the oil infrastructure on the…

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources