Adviser To Governor Brown Outlines Plan To Cap Porter Ranch Gas Leak By End Of Next Week

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — A state official has outlined a plan to cap the massive Los Angeles-area gas leak by the end of next week.

An adviser to Gov. Jerry Brown told residents of Porter Ranch on Thursday that the final phase to intercept the ruptured well should start Monday.

Wade Crowfoot says it will take up to five more days to permanently seal the Southern California Gas Co. well that began leaking in October.

The blowout at the largest natural gas-storage facility in the West has uprooted thousands of residents and spewed more than 2 million tons of climate-changing methane.

Residents have complained of headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and other symptoms. Public health officials blame the woes on an odorant added to the gas and say there shouldn't be long-term health problems.

SoCal Gas made the following statement after leaning of Crowfoot's comments.

"As we have said previously, our schedule is to stop the leak by the end of February, if not sooner. While we cannot confirm how long the process will take, we are working to do this as safely and expeditiously as possible."

KCAL9's Erica Nochlin spoke to residents who just wanted to go home and soon.

Crowfott wouldn't speak with Nochlin on camera but reiterated earlier comments that the plan should take "about" five days.

"If it goes according to plan, great. It's about time and we all look forward to it going according to plan. [But] not much has gone according to plan with SoCal Gas so far, so I'm not packing my bags up yet,"  said activist and resident Matt Pakucko.

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