1. Lessons not learned in LA: Lake Peigneur 1980 & Bayou Corne 2012
Abstract
On November 20th, 1980, a drilling platform leased by Texaco Oil punctured a salt dome being mined by Diamond Crystal Salt underneath Lake Peigneur. When a 14-inch bit penetrated a mine tunnel at a depth of 370 m, the lake drained into the salt dome. The disruption transformed the lake with a water depth of 3 ft into a swirling vortex with a 200 ft hole. The Delcambre Canal which usually flows south, reversed its direction and flowed into the lake over a 164 ft waterfall. Eleven barges disappeared into the vortex, 50 miners escaped, but three dogs perished in the disaster. As a result Texaco and Wilson Brothers paid Diamond Crystal $32 million and Live Oak Gardens $12.8 million. Thirty-two years later on August 3, 2012, a 2.5-acre sinkhole appeared in an area where strange bubbling of natural gas had been observed near Bayou Corne. This particular sinkhole, much like that at Lake Peigneur, was caused by the collapse of a salt dome. However, in this incident the breach transpired from operations by Texas Brine Company occurring inside the dome. As a result, 359 residents within a half-mile of the Bayou Corne sinkhole were ordered to evacuate their homes. More than two years later, the sinkhole has expanded to 37 acres, with only sixteen residents remaining. A class action lawsuit led to a 49.3 million dollar reward allocated amongst many of the affected residents in the area. Nine percent of the cavern remains vacant; however, its stability remains uncertain.
Bayou Corne
The Bayou Corne Sinkhole disaster gained worldwide media attention due to it being the first side wall breach of a salt dome in the world (Figure 4). In 2010, Texas Brine performed a mechanical integrity test to see if the 40 year old salt cavern could still be mined (Boudreaux, Personal Communication). The test showed that the cavern was leaking nitrogen gas and that Oxy Cavern 3 was capped and left undisturbed. On May 30, 2012, there were reports of bubbling in Bayou Corne (Figure 3). On June , there were reports of seismic tremors reported in the community, and on June 16, 2012, more bubble sites were identified (Boudreaux, Personal Communication). On June 18, 2012, a state of emergency was declared, and tremors were felt at Texas Brine on July 3 and 4, On August 3, 2012, the sinkhole developed, and a mandatory evacuation for the 359 residents of Bayou Corne was issued. The incident was monitored using four rapid-response GPS continuously operating reference stations called CORS911 (Kent & Dunaway, 2013). It was discovered that the sinkhole was more than 750 ft at its center (Nunn, 2013). The Blue Ribbon Commission issued the three objectives to minimize further damage from the sinkhole: 1) allow no water under the sinkhole, 2) stabilize the western wall, and 3) remove all remaining gas. Eventually 38 million cubic feet of gas was vented from the dome. Hydrogen sulfide monitors were installed in all houses in the Bayou Corne area to monitor for poisonous gas (Boudreaux, Personal Communication). The mandatory evacuation was reduced to a voluntary evacuation in December As of March 2013, the sinkhole was 90% filled, and as of July 2013, 91 bubbling sites have been identified in the Bayou Corne area (Nunn, 2013). The two year old sinkhole is now 37 acres wide. Texas Brine paid 49.3 million dollars for the homeowners of Bayou Corne (Boudreaux, Personal Communication). Only sixteen residents currently remain in Bayou Corne.
• May 30, 2012 Reports of bubbling in Bayou Corne
• June 8, 2012 Reports of seismic tremors reported in the community
• June , State of emergency declared
• July 3 and 4, 2012 Tremors felt at Texas Brine
• August 3, 2012 Sinkhole developed by Oxy Cavern 3 and mandatory evacuation declared for 359 residents
• The Sinkhole was discovered to be 750 ft deep at its center
• There were 38 million cubic feet of gas vented out and 51 observatory vent wells built
• March % of the sinkhole filled
• The sinkhole is now 37 acres wide
• Class action lawsuit against Texas Brine for 49.3 million dollars for homeowners in Bayou Corne
Frank Yrle with
Abby Adams, Scott Bergeron, Ashley Booth,
Joe Dantin, John Grosch, Samantha Humphrey, Eric Ledet, Glenn McNeese, Megan Mire, Seth Moncrief, Sarah Rehage, and Gary LaFleur Jr, the 2015 BIOL 560 class
Frog call surveys were conducted at each site for 5 minutes, scoring species and call intensity.
In the text boxes there are some funny pagination problems.
where there are large indentions.
take out pp after each book reference
The title is hanging out of the text box is that how you want it?
can you save the whole thing in ppt
check figure 2.
you should not have only one word on one line,
change the text of the first line, or stretch the textbox
so that the single word left over fits into the first line.
check the D on figure 2, looks like it got misplaced.
I like species list, but it should be phylogenetic instead:
inverts first, by phyla:
molluscs
arthropods
then vertebrates:
fish
amphibs
reptiles
birds
mammals
we caught a water snake too: Nerodia fasciata, I think,
encountered Barred owl
water beetle
grass shrimp: Paelomenetes sp
common name is NOT blue crawfish
thanks for your hard work. I'll have to keep looking at it for edits, however, I would suspect that you would catch several of the small mistakes I found, so it probably needs to be proof-read a little bit. LP BC
Lake Peigneur
Lake Peigneur is located on Jefferson Island salt mine (Figure 3), reaching depths of 50,000 feet (Kumar 1982), near New Iberia, Louisiana (Dyrud 2011). Texaco hired Wilson Brothers Corporation to drill test holes to locate oil reserves. The drilling platform was installed at the surface of the lake while Diamond Crystal Company was mining for salt beneath the lake (Dyrud 2011, Kumar 1982). On November 20, 1980 a miscalculation in procedures caused Wilson Brothers Corporation to drill 1228 feet deep and penetrate the salt dome (Figure 1) eventually leading two hours later to the five million dollar rig sinking into the hole. The water started to dissolve the salt and erode the salt pillars that supported the dome (Dyrud 2011), forming a vortex that swallowed the rig, a tugboat, 150-foot pecan trees, docks, and 4 hectares of land (Figure 2) (Dyrud 2011; Martinez et al 1998). Three hours later 3.5 billion gallons of water disappeared from the 40 acre lake, which flooded the salt mine below. Air was forced through the ceiling, creating a 400-foot geyser, and Delcambre Canal reversed direction to form a 150-foot waterfall, Louisiana’s largest at the time. It took two days for the lake to stabilize and now the lake extends 1,300 feet. Despite the environmental damage, all workers from both Wilson Brothers Corporation and Diamond Crystal Company escaped unharmed. This incident has been described as “the world’s weirdest engineering disaster.” It was caused by a miscalculation from using triangulation to locate oil. Along with environmental impacts, the event had an economic impact leaving 300 miners unemployed (Dyrud 2011).
Sinkhole N
Salt dome
Jefferson Island
1723 m
Well
Figure 3. Map of Louisiana indicating (from left to right) Lake Peigneur, Bayou Corne, and Nicholls State University.
Abandoned
Cavern
New State Regulations
After the Bayou Corne sinkhole incident, new regulations were instated to ensure stability of current and future salt dome endeavors. Owner/operators are required to update cross section maps every 5 years. If a sinkhole occurs, company is financially responsible for environmental damages and mandated to reimburse everyone for property damages and emotional distress. Salt dome closure plans must be pre-approved. Mining companies must show proof of financial stability for potential sinkhole remediation. Companies must also record surveys and mines within public interests.
SALT DOMES: Provides for solution mining injection wells and solution mined caverns (HB493Act; No. 368)
To enact R.S. 30:3(16) and (17) and 4(M), relative to injection wells and mined caverns; to provide for solution mining injection wells and solution mined caverns; to provide for definitions; to provide for the powers and duties of the assistant secretary and the commissioner of conservation; to authorize the adoption and promulgation of rules and regulations providing for solution mining injection wells and solution mined caverns; and to provide for related matters.
SALT DOMES: Requires notification of the proximity of property to a salt dome containing solution mining and storage caverns (HB 494; Act No. 369)
To enact R.S. 9:3198(A)(2)(c) and R.S. 30:23.1, relative to salt domes; to require notification of the proximity of property to a salt dome in which there is solution mining and storage activity; to provide for certain penalties; and to provide for related matters.
Active Cavern
Subsidence pit
Salt dome
Production shaft
430 m
Figure 4. Bayou Corne cross-section depicting how Oxy 3 well accidentally breached a salt dome side wall, leading to the sinkhole. (A. Adams based on Lane, 2014).
Salt mine
Figure 2. Lake Peigneur cross-section depicting how a drilling rig breached the salt mine. (A. Adams based on Keller and Blodgett, 2006)
Literature Cited
Dyrud, Marilyn A. (2011) Familiarizing the unknown: three unusual engineering cases. American Society for Engineering Education. p. 5-6
Gaudet St. Germain, Karen (2013) SALT DOMES:  Provides for solution mining injection wells and solution mined caverns, Act 368. HB 493.
Gaudet St. Germain, Karen (2013) SALT DOMES: Requires notification of the proximity of property to a salt dome containing solution mining and storage caverns, Act 369. HB 494.
Keller EA and Blodgett R (2006) Natural Hazards: Earth’s Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes. Pearson. pp 395.
Kent, J.D. and L. Dunaway (2013) Real-Time GPS network monitors Bayou Corne sinkhole event. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 94:
Kumar, B. Madhurendu. (1982) The recent inundation of the Jefferson Island salt mine: implications. Houston Geological Society Bulletin. 24: 2.
Lane E. (2014) Bayou Corne Sinkhole: Two years later, turmoil remains for residents. The Times Picayune, Aug 3, 2014; retrieved Feb 17, 2015.
Martinez, J., K. Johnson, J. Neal (1998) Sinkholes in evaporite rocks. American Scientist. 86: 38.
McConnaughey, Janet (2014) Insurance fight over cost of 37-acre sinkhole in Bayou Corne, The Washington Times, Oct 3, 2014; retrieved Feb 19, 2015.
Nunn, J.A. (2013) Bubbles, bubbles, tremors and trouble: the Bayou Corne sinkhole. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2013.
Figure 5. Satellite imagery of Bayou Corne sinkhole development over three time-points(modified from Google).
Conclusions
- Salt domes are ubiquitous in 12 parishes of Southern Louisiana
- Lake Peigneur sinkhole occurred following miscalculation of proximity to Jefferson Island salt dome
- Bayou Corne sinkhole transpired when the side-wall of an unstable, newly-sealed salt dome collapsed
- Regulation regarding mining near salt domes only occurred after second sinkhole appeared
- House Bills 493 & 494 regulate mining in proximity to salt domes and allot responsibility for sinkholes
A lack or regulations prior to Bayou Corne may have contributed to the occurrence of this sinkhole
Recommendations: Louisiana should pass legislation to …
- Only allow alternative sources of brine, i.e. sea water
- Prohibit salt mining operations in untapped or unstable salt domes
Conduct geological assessment prior to beginning a mining operation of a salt dome
Continually monitor structural stability and seismic activity of salt domes
Implement monitoring of seismic activity and air quality adjacent to areas being mined
Figure 3. Satellite imagery of Lake Peigneur salt mine disaster, modified from Google.