Sable Offshore has restarted oil flow through a California pipeline after the Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act to override state regulations. The pipeline, idle since a 2015 spill that released over 100,000 gallons of oil, now operates under federal direction despite environmental concerns from California officials. This move comes amid rising global oil prices due to the Iran war.

The Texas-based company had struggled for over a year to secure state permits needed to resume operations. Sable's actions could increase California's oil production by 15% and reduce foreign crude imports by 1.5 million barrels monthly, according to the Department of Energy. The company immediately sued California's Department of Parks and Recreation after federal orders bypassed state environmental review requirements.

Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the restart as illegal, promising legal resistance to what he called an attempt to open California's coast for oil industry interests. California's parks department demanded Sable remove the pipeline segment crossing state park land, where the company's easement expired in 2016. This confrontation sets up a significant test of federal versus state authority in energy regulation during a period of global oil market volatility.