Aera Energy
Aera Energy LLC is a California-based upstream oil and gas producer specializing in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, primarily operating in Kern County. A wholly-owned subsidiary of California Resources Corporation since July 2024, it supplies local crude oil to reduce California's dependence on foreign imports.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersBakersfield, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aera Energy does
Aera Energy LLC is a California-based upstream oil and gas producer, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Bakersfield. The company specializes in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques — injecting fluids into mature reservoirs to maximize extraction efficiency — and operates primarily in Kern County, with secondary activity in Monterey County. As the third-largest oil operator in California by permitting activity (88 new drilling permits through May 9, 2026, behind Chevron's 133), Aera maintains a material position in the state's local energy supply chain, reducing dependence on imported crude (California imported over 300 million barrels in 2022) and supporting lower-carbon-intensity domestic production. Its business model is commodity upstream production sold into California's broader energy market, with revenue mechanics driven by crude oil pricing and volume throughput from EOR-optimized reservoirs.
Since July 2024, Aera Energy has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of California Resources Corporation (NYSE:CRC), a publicly traded California-focused energy and carbon management company. The acquisition integrated Aera's Kern County operations into CRC's broader portfolio, which includes the Carbon TerraVault CCS business — California's first operational carbon capture and storage project, with CO2 injections beginning in May 2026 — and was further expanded by CRC's December 2025 merger with Berry Corporation. The combined entity serves California's energy and decarbonization markets through local upstream production, subsurface asset monetization via CCS, and an emerging clean energy ecosystem at the Elk Hills field. Aera's GTM is B2B commodity offtake to refiners and energy buyers; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
Aera Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aera Energy
- Legal name
- Aera Energy LLC
- Website
- https://aeraenergy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Aera Energy LLC is a California-based upstream oil and gas producer specializing in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, primarily operating in Kern County. A wholly-owned subsidiary of California Resources Corporation since July 2024, it supplies local crude oil to reduce California's dependence on foreign imports.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aera Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oil and Gas Production
- NAICS
- Crude Petroleum Extraction (21112), Oil and Gas Extraction (2111)
- SIC
- Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas (1311), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) & IOR (CO₂, Steam, Chemical) (EUALAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Production Services & Artificial Lift (ESP, Rod Lift, Gas Lift, Chemicals) (EUALABAH)
Keywords
Where Aera Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bakersfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Aera Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others
Aera Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aera Energy LLC engages in oil and gas production primarily in California, focused on Kern County operations. The company uses Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, which involve injecting fluids into reservoirs to enhance oil recovery rates from existing fields. The company also produces associated natural gas as part of its upstream operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Crude Oil Production
- Natural Gas Production
Companies that use Aera Energy
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Aera Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Aera Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Aera Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- EOG Resources: Leading US independent with growing California presence and advanced enhanced recovery techniques. Comparable as a peer in upstream EOR adoption but focused primarily on shale plays rather than legacy California fields.
Broad incumbents
- Occidental Petroleum: Major US oil producer with substantial California operations (including legacy ARCO assets) and a leading EOR operator nationally. Comparable in EOR technology adoption and California upstream exposure, but operates globally with diversified portfolio.
- ConocoPhillips: Major US independent with extensive EOR and CO2-flooding expertise (notably Permian). Comparable in advanced recovery techniques and operational scale, though not focused on California assets.
- ExxonMobil: Global supermajor with active EOR programs and significant downstream demand for California crudes. While not a direct California pure-play, ExxonMobil's upstream EOR capabilities and integrated model represent the broader incumbent benchmark.
Direct peers
- Chevron Corporation: Chevron leads California oil permitting with 133 permits vs Aera's 88 in early 2026. Operates San Joaquin Valley assets adjacent to Aera's Kern County position with overlapping EOR and production operations in the same regulatory environment.
- California Resources Corporation: Aera's parent company (acquired July 2024). CRC is the direct operator of Aera's assets and operates adjacent California upstream assets with similar EOR, conventional production, and now Carbon TerraVault CCS operations in the same geography.
- Sentinel Peak Resources: California-focused upstream operator (41 permits in early 2026) holding legacy Plains Exploration & Production and Freeport-McMoRan assets. Directly comparable as a Kern County oil producer with similar asset base and regulatory exposure.
- Berry Corporation: Recently merged with CRC (December 2025), operating California heavy oil and EOR assets in the San Joaquin Valley. Highly comparable operationally with overlapping EOR techniques and Kern County asset footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aera Energy social profiles
Digital presenceAera Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aera Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Aera Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aera Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aera Energy
What does Aera Energy do?
Aera Energy LLC engages in oil and gas production primarily in California, focused on Kern County operations. The company uses Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, which involve injecting fluids into reservoirs to enhance oil recovery rates from existing fields. The company also produces associated natural gas as part of its upstream operations.
Is Aera Energy a public or private company?
Aera Energy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Aera Energy founded?
Aera Energy was founded in 1997. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Aera Energy based?
Aera Energy is headquartered in Bakersfield, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Aera Energy's main competitors?
EOG Resources is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Occidental Petroleum, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil. Direct peers are Chevron Corporation, California Resources Corporation, Sentinel Peak Resources and Berry Corporation.
Does Aera Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aera Energy.
What industry is Aera Energy in?
Aera Energy's product category is Oil and Gas Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAAAG, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) & IOR (CO₂, Steam, Chemical), with a secondary code of EUALABAH, Production Services & Artificial Lift (ESP, Rod Lift, Gas Lift, Chemicals). Its NAICS code is 21112 and its SIC code is 1311.