Oil company with checkered history hit with $12.5M fine

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators have issued at $12.5 million fine to an oil company with a long history of safety violations and regulatory lapses.

The Department of Conservation issued the fine Wednesday against Greka Oil & Gas for nearly 1,500 violations last year at its Richfield oil operation in Orange County.

The department’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources says the company submitted false reports and failed to comply with regular pressure testing requirements and failed to maintain operating pressure gauges.

A Greka lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The state ordered the company to stop injecting water into the field northeast of Anaheim until it complies with state orders. It also must get a $39 million bond to cover cleanup costs if the company folds.