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U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resources Revenue Data wordmark with oil platform rig pulling up a dollar sign

California

Land ownership

Federal land represents 45.8% of all land in California.

8 energy or mineral commodities were produced on federal land in California in calendar year 2018.

6 commodities were withheld in 2018.

Production on federal land in California resulted in $91,053,604 in calendar year 2019 revenue.


Revenue from federal land resulted in $47,265,794 disbursed from the federal government to California in fiscal year 2019.


California also borders an offshore area with significant natural resource extraction, which may contribute to the state’s economy. For production and revenue data about offshore extraction near California, see the Pacific Ocean.

For a detailed view of how oil extraction affects communities in southern California, read the Kern County case study.

Production

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue collects detailed data about natural resource production on federal land in California.

Downloads and documentation

Gas

County production

Contra Costa CountyFresno CountyGlenn CountyKern CountyKings CountyLos Angeles CountyMonterey CountySacramento CountySan Benito CountySan Joaquin CountySan Luis Obispo CountySanta Barbara CountySolano CountyTehama CountyVentura County
County production of gas in 2018 (mcf)
0 – 2.7m2.7m – 5.3m5.3m – 8m8m – 11m

Geothermal

County production

Lassen County
County production of geothermal in 2018 (Direct Utilization, Millions of BTUs)
0 – 68k68k – 140k140k – 200k200k – 270k

Geothermal

County production

Imperial CountyInyo CountyMono County
County production of geothermal in 2018 (Electrical Generation, Kilowatt Hours)
0 – 68m68m – 140m140m – 200m200m – 270m

Geothermal

County production

Lassen CountyImperial County
County production of geothermal in 2018 (Electrical Generation, Other)
0 – 42k42k – 84k84k – 130k130k – 170k

Geothermal

County production

Lake CountySonoma County
County production of geothermal in 2018 (Electrical Generation, Thousands of Pounds)
0 – 6.2m6.2m – 12m12m – 19m19m – 25m

Geothermal

County production

Inyo County
County production of geothermal in 2018 (sulfur)
0 – 610610 – 1.2k1.2k – 1.8k1.8k – 2.4k

Oil

County production

Contra Costa CountyFresno CountyKern CountyKings CountyLos Angeles CountyMonterey CountySacramento CountySan Benito CountySan Luis Obispo CountySanta Barbara CountySolano CountyVentura County
County production of oil in 2018 (bbl)
0 – 2.2m2.2m – 4.4m4.4m – 6.7m6.7m – 8.9m

Salt

County production

San Bernardino County
County production of salt in 2018 (tons)
0 – 54k54k – 110k110k – 160k160k – 210k

Revenue

Companies pay a wide range of fees, rates, and taxes to extract natural resources in the United States. What companies pay to federal, state, and local governments often depends on who owns the natural resources.

Natural resource extraction can lead to federal revenue in two ways: non-tax revenue and tax revenue. Revenue data on this site primarily includes non-tax revenue from extractive industry activities on federal land.

Downloads and documentation

Revenue from production on federal land by resource

When companies extract natural resources on federal lands and waters , they pay royalties, rents, bonuses, and other fees, much like they would to any landowner . This non-tax revenue is collected and reported by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR).

For details about the laws and policies that govern how rights are awarded to companies and what they pay to extract natural resources on federal land : coal, oil and gas, renewable resources, and hardrock minerals.

The federal government collects different kinds of fees at each phase of natural resource extraction . This chart shows how much federal revenue was collected in calendar year (CY)2019 for production or potential production of natural resources on federal land in California, broken down by phase of production.

Commodity1. Securing rights2. Before production3. During productionOther revenue
Oil and Gas
Oil & Gas
$75,412,604
$0
$112,562
Oil $70,194,394Gas $3,294,839NGL $1,487,706
$323,103
Geothermal
Geothermal
$7,647,867
$0
$31,383
$7,564,320
$52,163
Other products
Hardrock minerals
$168
$0
$42
$0
$126
Potassium
$5,052,691
$0
$0
$5,052,691
$0
Sodium
$2,940,271
$0
$550
$2,943,174
($3,452)
All commodities
All commodities
$91,053,604
$0
$144,537
$90,537,127
$371,939

Most non-tax revenue collected by ONRR comes from counties with significant natural resources on federal land.

Downloads and documentation

All commodities

’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19$230 million
Companies paid $91,053,604 to produce natural resources on federal land in California in 2019.

Revenue collected by county

Contra CostaFresnoGlennKernKingsLos AngelesSan JoaquinSanta BarbaraSolanoVenturaSacramentoSan Luis ObispoImperialInyoLakeLassenMendocinoMonoSiskiyouSonomaSan BernardnSan DiegoMontereySan BenitoMercedRiversideSutterYolo
Revenue by county in 2019
$0 – $17m$17m – $35m$35m – $52m$52m – $70m

Federal tax revenue

Individuals and corporations (specifically C-corporations) pay income taxes to the IRS. The federal corporate income tax rate tops out at 21%. Public policy provisions, such as tax expenditures, can decrease corporate income tax and other revenue payments in order to promote other policy goals.

Learn more about revenue from extraction on all lands and waters.

We don’t have detailed data about federal, state, or local revenue from natural resource extraction on land owned by California, corporations, or individuals. However, companies generally must pay state and local taxes.

Disbursements

After collecting revenue from natural resource extraction, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue distributes that money to different agencies, funds, and local governments for public use. This process is called “disbursement.”

Most federal revenue disbursements go into national funds. For detailed data about which expenditures and projects from those national funds are in California, see nationwide federal disbursements.

ONRR also disburses some revenue from natural resource extraction to state governments. In 2019, ONRR disbursed $47,265,794 to California. This included revenues from both onshore and offshore extraction in or near California:

  • $46,041,461 was from onshore revenues
  • $1,224,333 was from offshore revenues

Downloads and documentation

We don’t have detailed data about how states or local governments distribute revenue from natural resource extraction.

State governance

Because California has significant natural resource extraction, we gathered additional information about state agencies and regulations that govern natural resource extraction in California: