Elwood Onshore Facility Heliport

The closure was due to economic factors and a critical infrastructure failure. The heliport was an integral part of the Elwood Onshore Facility (EOF), which processed oil from the offshore Platform Holly. In May 2015, the Refugio Oil Spill occurred, caused by a rupture in the Plains All American Pipeline—the only pipeline available to transport oil from the EOF. This event forced a complete shutdown of Platform Holly and the EOF. The operator, Venoco, Inc., was unable to secure an alternative transport method and, facing insurmountable financial losses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2017. As part of the bankruptcy, Venoco quitclaimed its leases and abandoned the platform and all onshore facilities, including the heliport, to the State of California, leading to its permanent closure.

The site of the former heliport is now part of a large-scale, multi-year decommissioning project managed by the California State Lands Commission. The entire Elwood Onshore Facility, along with Platform Holly and its associated pipelines, is being permanently dismantled. The land is an active demolition and environmental remediation site. The goal is to remove all industrial structures and restore the land to a more natural state. The helipad and any associated aviation infrastructure have been or will be removed as part of this process.

The Elwood Onshore Facility Heliport was a private-use heliport that served as a vital logistical link for the offshore oil industry in the Santa Barbara Channel for several decades. Its primary and essential function was the transportation of crew members, technicians, and light cargo between the onshore facility and Platform Holly. It was crucial for routine crew changes, maintenance operations, and emergency response. The heliport's existence was intrinsically tied to the operation of Platform Holly, one of the last oil platforms operating in California state waters, and it was a key piece of the infrastructure supporting oil production in the region since the platform was installed in 1966.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the heliport. The State of California's mandate is the complete and permanent decommissioning of all oil and gas facilities at the site. The long-term vision for the land involves full environmental cleanup and restoration, with potential future uses as public open space or natural habitat. Re-establishing an industrial heliport is fundamentally contrary to the state's objectives for the former oil facility.