Sustainability Leadership Change at CRC

Urban Paul recently became California Resources Corporation’s (CRC) new Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability. Urban brings vast operational knowledge, having led operations at CRC’s flagship Elk Hills field since 2013, as well as serving as Chair of CRC’s Safety Leadership Team.  During Urban’s tenure at Elk Hills, CRC significantly expanded electrical infrastructure from the Elk Hills Power Plant to power surrounding fields and reduce emissions and increased Elk Hills’ water recycling by 50%. He also set the stage for the design of California’s first carbon capture and sequestration project which will capture carbon dioxide from the Elk Hills Power Plant and convert the plant to a carbon neutral source of energy for California.

As Vice President of HSE and Sustainability, Urban will lead an experienced team of 65 HSE and sustainability professionals dedicated to providing systems, tools and expert guidance that enable CRC to achieve California’s world-leading standards and surpass community expectations. A native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Urban earned a mechanical engineering degree from Mercer University and worked 18 years in the Virgin Islands’ only refinery, which unfortunately closed in 2012.  Having seen the consequences to workers, residents and communities becoming totally dependent on imported energy, Urban knows firsthand the importance of sustaining a diverse mix of traditional forms of local energy production in California.