City of Beverly Hills Archives

Beverly Hills Methane Zone Testing Much like the rest of Southern California, Beverly Hills also has a long history of oil and gas development, with historic wells, production facilities, and petroleum activities throughout portions of the region. As a result, some property owners, developers, and design professionals have questions regarding potential methane soil-gas hazards and whether methane testing may be appropriate for certain sites. The City of Beverly Hills has not published an official methane-zone program or methane-specific testing requirements at the time of this writing. Nonetheless, methane evaluations are common throughout Southern California historical oil-fields. Property owners seeking information regarding current requirements should contact the City of Beverly Hills directly. Why Developers May Consider Methane Testing in Beverly Hills Historic oil-and-gas operations can leave behind conditions that warrant evaluation during redevelopment or new construction projects. In some circumstances, undocumented or incompletely documented historical wells may exist within developed areas. Additionally, naturally occurring methane and methane from historic petroleum activities can migrate through subsurface soils. And these gasses potentially impact structures if not properly evaluated. For these reasons, methane soil-gas investigations are frequently utilized throughout Southern California to help assess potential subsurface gas conditions and support informed development decisions. Important Notice This article is intended for general informational purposes only. As of the publication date of this article, the City of Beverly Hills has not published an official methane-zone map or methane-specific development program applicable citywide. Regulations, permitting requirements, and agency policies may change over time. Property owners, developers, and applicants should consult directly with the City of Beverly Hills regarding project-specific requirements.