Francisco Leon

Chief Executive Officer, President & Director, California Resources

Search every verified Francisco Leon interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Francisco Leon, CEO of California Resources Corporation (CRC), has been publicly advocating for increased local oil and natural gas production in California as a solution to high energy costs and reliance on imports. In interviews, he stated that California consumes about 9% of U.S. oil while paying roughly 40% higher prices than the rest of the country, and he argued that local production provides jobs, lowers prices, and has a lower carbon density. Leon noted that the company has not received a new permit to drill a well since the end of 2022, and he said that reducing in-state supply leads to greater dependence on foreign oil, which he described as exporting jobs and emissions. Leon has also highlighted CRC's carbon capture and storage projects as a key part of its business strategy. He said the company broke ground on a carbon capture facility and plans to begin injecting CO2 in early 2025, aiming to decarbonize industries such as cement and data centers. He mentioned a partnership with Brookfield to bring capital into the state and a deal to sell carbon credits to the LA Rams and the NFL. Leon described CRC as a "different kind of energy company" that balances traditional oil and gas with clean energy, and he expressed support for California's climate goals while emphasizing the need for market-based solutions and regulatory improvements to accelerate infrastructure projects.