http://enenews.com/officials-new-footage-shows-sinkhole-is-growing-rumors-of-forced-evacuation-video
http://enenews.com/declaration-of-emergency-to-ensure-public-safety-after-shallow-gas-pockets-found-near-edge-of-napoleonville-salt-dome
[...]On yesterday, Texas Brine reported a 20′ x 20′ growth of the sinkhole. In the video of the sinkhole site, at approximately 00:35 you can see this growth towards and into the pipeline right of way.[...]
Title: 9:30 a.m. Morning Update « Assumption Parish Police Jury
Source: Assumption Parish Police Jury
Date: Sept 18, 2012
Source: Assumption Parish Police Jury
Date: Sept 18, 2012
Contrary to reports we’ve been questioned about from residents, the mandatory evacuation remains and a forced evacuation is not being called at this time. Conditions remain the same and have not changed to heighten the alert; however, should conditions change this order can be changed at any time.[...]
http://enenews.com/declaration-of-emergency-to-ensure-public-safety-after-shallow-gas-pockets-found-near-edge-of-napoleonville-salt-dome
Title: Office of Conservation Orders New Testing for Napoleonville Salt Dome Operators, Hires Contractor to Act on Ground Water Monitoring/Venting Plan
Source: Department of Natural Resources
Date: September 14, 2012
Emphasis Added
Source: Department of Natural Resources
Date: September 14, 2012
Emphasis Added
Information from newly drilled monitoring wells provides guidance for actionBATON ROUGE – Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh announced today that he has ordered all companies operating on the Napoleonville Salt Dome to immediately begin work to assess the presence of natural gas in both the ground water aquifer and the salt dome cap rock beneath their operations; capture, vent or flare any natural gas that is encountered; and analyze any potential impacts to ground water in the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer.Welsh asked the Shaw Group [Shaw's ties to nuclear industry here and here] to oversee the evaluation of natural gas concentrations in the ground water aquifer and to oversee the removal of any natural gas found through venting or other means.Welsh said he issued the order to dome operators as part of a formal Declaration of Emergency and Directive to ensure public safety following the Office of Conservation’s discovery of two shallow pockets of natural gas in an area between the western edge of the Napoleonville Salt Dome and the Bayou Corne community. A contractor hired by the Office of Conservation drilled monitoring wells to sample for natural gas, and encountered the natural gas pockets at a depth of less than 50 feet from surface on Thursday.This discovery comes as Conservation staff analyzed new data from Texas Brine LLC’s report to the Office of Conservation. The data indicated pockets of natural gas within the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer and the cap rock above the salt dome. That data came after DNR ordered Texas Brine to evaluate belowground conditions. Part of Texas Brine’s effort to comply with that order included the drilling of a shallow well to house seismic equipment in addition to the deeper well intended to enter the abandoned salt cavern.Texas Brine’s shallow seismic well, drilled to about 465 feet, encountered natural gas near the top of the ground water aquifer at about 120 feet deep, and again within the salt dome cap rock at about 420 feet deep.
“This is the reason that the Office of Conservation ordered Texas Brine to take steps to evaluate the below ground conditions near its operation and the reason we have hired contractors and negotiated with land owners to get observation wells drilled near the Bayou Corne community. This will help us gather information that gives a clearer understanding of potential threats to public safety and what the underlying causes are,” Welsh said. “This new data indicates the presence of natural gas in the aquifer and cap rock near the existing salt dome operations, and the Office of Conservation is ordering immediate action to assess that risk and take actions where necessary.”Welsh said that, while the Office of Conservation had already begun the effort to assess the presence of natural gas nearer the Bayou Corne community by hiring two drilling contractors to drill wells for sampling and venting, he is actively seeking to accelerate those efforts with a solicitation this week to any companies with the necessary equipment to drill these water wells.That solicitation, as well as the Shaw Group contract for overall evaluation andremediation of natural gas in the ground water aquifer in the area, followed Office of Conservation review of data from the most recent monitoring.
Title: 1:50 p.m. Sonic Rig Drilling Stopped
Source: Assumption Parish Police Jury
Date: Sept 14, 2012
Source: Assumption Parish Police Jury
Date: Sept 14, 2012
The drilling performed by the sonic rig, on Dugas & LeBlanc property on the south side of LA-70, has been halted. We have been advised that gas was encountered at 90 feet. We have no additional details at this time. Parish officials and state agencies are currently at the site. We will advise further once information is available.
Title: Drilling on wells to begin at Assumption sinkhole
Source: The Courier
Author: Raymond Legendre
Date: Sept 13, 2012
Source: The Courier
Author: Raymond Legendre
Date: Sept 13, 2012
[...]Tests performed Thursday by the state Department of Natural Resources near the sinkhole foreshadowed the possible discovery of natural gas in the aquifer. Two of six sites tested 48 feet below the surface revealed “slight or low levels” of natural gas, Boudreaux said.[...]In the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac, officials observed gas bubbling in three locations fewer than four miles away from the sinkhole off La. 70.[...]
Title: State orders search for natural gas in aquifer, caprock
Source: The Advocate
Author: David J. Mitchell
Date: September 14, 2012Louisiana Office of Conservation Commissioner James Welsh on Friday ordered the seven companies operating on the Napoleonville Dome in Assumption Parish to determine if natural gas is contained in the groundwater and the salt dome caprock beneath them.[...]Welsh’s order follows three instances since Sept. 9 when drilling or boring work — near the sinkhole and at two sites between that sinkhole and the Bayou Corne community — encountered gas pressure when drillers pierced the aquifer’s upper level, a DNR spokesman said.[...]Gas also was found at one site in the salt dome caprock.[...]A contractor [...] hit a natural gas pocket Thursday at a depth of less than 50 feet [...]Another DNR contractor [...] hit gas Friday at 90 feet [...]The earliest instance involved work by Texas Brine [... it] hit gas at 120 feet, at the top of the aquifer, and again inside the salt dome caprock at 420 feet, DNR officials said.
DNR Statements:
- “If there is gas in the aquifer, that is exactly what you’d expect. It’s going to be at the top.”
- “This new data indicates the presence of natural gas in the aquifer and caprock near the existing salt dome operations, and the Office of Conservation is ordering immediate action to assess that risk and take actions where necessary.”
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