Los Angeles zoning officials are considering whether to revoke the operating permit for the Murphy drill site in the Jefferson Park neighborhood, marking a potential first move toward phasing out active oil production within city limits. The Los Angeles Times reported that the 32-well production site, operated by Bakersfield-based E&B Natural Resources, faces scrutiny following a decade of resident complaints and dozens of regulatory violation notices.
The city’s zoning administrator is weighing the permit revocation after years of mounting community pressure. While momentum has built toward eliminating oil extraction in Los Angeles, municipal authorities have never before rescinded an active oil drilling permit.
Decade of Violations at the Murphy Drill Site
The Murphy drill site occupies land owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which was donated by the family of railroad and oil tycoon Daniel Murphy and leased for oil development starting in the 1960s. Production at the site peaked in the 1970s at approximately 1,600 barrels of oil per day, but output has since declined to about 240 barrels per day, generating roughly $24,000 daily at current prices, according to E&B Natural Resources.
E&B took over the lease from Sentinel Peak Resources in 2019. Since that time, the neighborhood nonprofit Redeemer Community Partnership has tracked 54 violation notices and 19 other notices issued to the site by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the state labor board, the state oil regulator, and the Los Angeles Fire Department, as reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. Recorded infractions include gas leaks, the use of masking substances to cover chemical fumes, and failures to properly maintain idle wells. In November 2025, regulators cited contractors for operating prohibited equipment during a pipeline pressure test within 1,000 feet of a school. In January 2025, inspectors discovered methane gushing from a well valve. The air quality district reports visiting the site 30 times over a five-year period.
Ted Cordova, a spokesperson for E&B Natural Resources, defended the operation, stating that the site provides local energy produced under strict environmental rules rather than oil shipped from overseas. He noted that the operation employs local contractors and pays royalties to more than 3,000 mineral rights owners. E&B remains nearly a year behind schedule in complying with orders to enclose its operations behind a 30-foot structure.
Health Impacts and Community Activism
Residents point to noxious odors, heavy truck traffic, and documented pollution as catalysts for the permit challenge. The Rev. Eddie Anderson, senior pastor at the McCarty Memorial Christian Church, lived two blocks from the drill site until moving to Mid City in 2024. Anderson reported that his asthma worsened, his dog died of cancer, and his wife suffered two miscarriages while living in Jefferson Park. After learning about the site’s violations and the association between oil extraction chemicals and fetal health risks, Anderson questioned whether neighborhood exposure contributed to the health crises.
Neighbor Silvia Esparza, who lives a block from the facility, stated that regulatory inspectors rarely arrive in time to witness intermittent odors and operational noise. Residents frequently monitor the site from the low wall of a neighboring AIDS Healthcare Foundation clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Murphy Drill Site Permit Review
What specific authority is reviewing the Murphy drill site permit?
The Los Angeles zoning administrator is reviewing the permit to determine whether grounds exist to revoke it, which would shut down the 32-well production site.
Who currently owns and operates the oil production facility?
The land is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and leased to Bakersfield-based operator E&B Natural Resources, which took over operations in 2019.
How much oil does the facility currently produce?
The site produces approximately 240 barrels of oil per day, down from a peak of about 1,600 barrels per day in the 1970s.
Zoning Administrator Decision Schedule
The zoning administrator’s review of the permit revocation request remains active, with no final decision date yet announced by city officials.
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