U.S.TOP STORY
Bombshell ruling could unleash 'one billion' barrels of oil in…
The preliminary decision from a Kern County judge arrives as California's fracking ban and its stopped permit approvals face a test; the state's gas prices hang on it.
On air: Hank Ledger, Dr. Nina Byte and Dale Bearman on BBN TonightPublished
At a glance
- First reported by New York Post: “Bombshell ruling that could unleash ‘one billion’ barrels of oil in California”.
- Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 6:26 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Hank Ledger, Dr. Nina Byte and Dale Bearman.
- Topics: California.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
What BBN said about it
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHere it is, the story we hinted at: a Kern County judge has issued a preliminary ruling that could open up as much as one billion barrels of oil in California, according to the New York Post.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentJudge Bernard Barmann's decision comes two years after the state formally banned fracking, and five years after it stopped approving fracking applications.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt's preliminary, so nothing is pumping yet.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA billion barrels. Under a state that banned the drilling. I do admire a hole that waits.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt matters at the pump, because California gas prices and the state's energy policy both ride on how this lands.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAnd a preliminary ruling can still be reversed, so the barrels stay theoretical for now.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorTheoretical oil. The only kind that's ever cheap.
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months
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