Announcement

**Emily** · November 21, 2013, 04:05 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

Oh, oh..mixin is not the only one looking at how much product is those caverns.

http://theadvocate.com/home/7583279-...dome-companies

Assessor: Assumption salt dome companies owe millions
by David J. Mitchell

November 20, 2013
0 Comments

Operators and owners of the massive underground salt caverns carved from the Napoleonville Dome in Assumption Parish have under-reported their facilities? assessed values by hundreds of millions of dollars annually, the parish assessor said Thursday.

**Emily** · December 3, 2013, 03:16 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

http://theadvocate.com/news/politics...ome-rules-need

State?s proposed regulations critiqued

By MARK BALLARD

November 30, 2013

Though generally complimentary of the efforts, environmentalists and Bayou Corne homeowners said Tuesday the state?s proposed rules fail to go far enough in overseeing the making and maintaining of storage caverns in salt domes...

**mixin** · December 23, 2013, 07:33 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

After a period of relatively low activity, a Code 2 was announced on Dec 18:
Seismic monitoring indicates sustained increase in levels of subsurface activity near sinkhole/Oxy 3 ? state and parish will continue to closely observe seismic activity to advise of any sudden changes.

Dec 19:
Sinkhole Activity Code 3 ? indicating no work is allowed directly on sinkhole or within containment berms. Seismic monitoring indicates further increase in levels of subsurface activity near sinkhole/Oxy 3 ? state and parish will continue to closely observe seismic activity to advise of any sudden changes.

December 23:
The South Berm has developed cracks where a previous crack was repaired, as well as new cracks in the lowest part of the berm (in a half moon shape). Attached is a picture of the cracks where previous repair was completed.

Additionally, the Micro Seismic Activity (MEQ) has been up for the last few days, with counts as high as 180 MEQ?s yesterday.

Sinkhole Activity Code 3 ? indicating no work is allowed directly on sinkhole or within containment berms. Seismic monitoring indicates further increase in levels of subsurface activity near sinkhole/Oxy 3 ? state and parish will continue to closely observe seismic activity to advise of any sudden changes.

Assumption Parish Police Jury

http://assumptionla.wordpress.com/

http://assumptionla.com/

**mixin** · January 1, 2014, 07:21 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

This is the first time I've seen the mention of the bubble site monitoring.

************************

Monday, Dec. 23 work-
....
ORW/CPT Wells

- Monitoring bubble site 56 (Bayou Corne, north of La 70)
.....

December 26, 2013
2:50 p.m. Update

Texas Brine advised that the tagging of Cavern 3 is at 4,076′ which is 66′ lower than the tagging performed two weeks ago. As information becomes available, it will be shared here.

December 30, 2013
3:45 p.m. Update

Bayou Corne/Grand Bayou Response Activity
Monday, Dec. 30 work-
Sinkhole Activity Code 3 ? indicating no work is allowed directly on sinkhole or within containment berms. Seismic monitoring indicates further increase in levels of subsurface activity near sinkhole/Oxy 3 ? state and parish will continue to closely observe seismic activity to advise of any sudden changes.
...
- Monitoring bubble site 56 (Bayou Corne, north of La 70)

December 31, 2013
12:55 p.m. Statement from Texas Brine, re: South Berm

Today, in discussion with and approval from DNR and APOEP, Texas Brine has received permission to proceed with temporary repair work to the south berm in order to raise the height of the berm to protect against any immediate potential for overtopping due to subsidence. As part of this discussion, TBC has agreed to move forward with planning and submission of Emergency Use Authorizations and engineering designs for the installation of a new southern containment structure. TBC will then proceed with the installation of this new southern containment system once the requisite permission and approvals have been received from DNR, DEQ, and APOEP.

The current south berm and containment system is still intact and providing a continuous barrier between the waters inside and out of the sinkhole, but in an abundance of caution and due to recent seismic and settlement activity the decision has been made to move forward with these new plans in order to ensure the long term containment of the sinkhole and any contaminants. TBC will also install two additional inclinometers south of the current southern berm to provide additional data and early warning of any movement due to subsidence in this area. Multiple layers of boom are also in place as redundant systems to provide protection against floating contaminants should any overtopping take place. Water quality testing is continuing to take place and consistently shows that the surface water quality within the containment berm is virtually the same as waters outside the containment berm.

December 31, 2013
2:00 p.m. Update from OEP

Attached is photo taken this morning of the ongoing subsidence of the center portion of the Southern Berm. We continue to monitor any changes that may occur and will update accordingly.

Assumption Parish Police Jury

http://assumptionla.wordpress.com/

http://assumptionla.com/

**Emily** · January 14, 2014, 03:42 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

http://theadvocate.com/home/7995155-...e-to-build-new

Existing levee sinking, to be repaired and raised near Bayou Corne
by David J. Mitchell

January 09, 2014
4 Comments

Texas Brine Co. says it will build a new protective barrier along the southern side of the Bayou Corne-area sinkhole amid rising concerns about rapid sinking under part of the levee holding back the hole?s briny and oily contents.

In the interim, Texas Brine is moving to repair and raise the existing levee section that sank...

http://www.katc.com/news/texas-brine...to-pay-claims/

Texas Brine wants insurance company to pay claims

Posted: Jan 8, 2014 10:27 AM by AP
BAYOU CORNE, La. (AP) - Texas Brine Co., the company blamed for the Bayou Corne-area sinkhole, has filed a formal complaint with the Louisiana Department of Insurance. The company alleges one of its insurers is not paying up as its policy requires...

1/5/14 Trees going in on the west side of the sinkhole
assumptionla

**Emily** · January 15, 2014, 04:43 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

http://www.livescience.com/42103-rad...hole-form.html

Surprise: Louisiana Sinkhole Slid Sideways Before Collapsing
By Becky Oskin, Staff Writer | December 19, 2013 02:24pm ET

The Earth's surface slid sideways by as much as 10 inches (26 centimeters) before collapsing into a still-growing toxic sinkhole in Bayou Corne, La., a new study reports.

"This was unusual for us," said Cathleen Jones, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Usually at a sinkhole, we expect to see vertical movement at the surface, some sort of subsidence," Jones said. "This horizontal motion is actually a new indicator people should be aware of."...

...

When Jones first learned of the sinkhole in April 2013, she suspected that NASA's radar data would have little to show, because the soggy ground in Louisiana's swamps interferes with radar imaging. Turns out she was wrong.
Bayou Corne sinkhole

"The signal was so big it overwhelmed all that noise [from the soil moisture]," Jones said. "When I looked at the data, I thought, 'Wow, this is an enormous signature.' I couldn't believe it."

"The whole area was being pulled toward the sinkhole," Jones added...
- See more at: http://www.livescience.com/42103-rad....KNCFbLFg.dpuf

ETA:
Much more on the science involved and some radar imagery provided by NASA in the excellent article linked to above.

**mixin** · January 15, 2014, 07:21 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

I found the report in Geology but full text is pay to view.

Bayou Corne, Louisiana, sinkhole: Precursory deformation measured by radar interferometry
Cathleen E. Jones1 and Ronald G. Blom1
[snip]
...
Analysis of data acquired from two flight tracks with near-opposing imaging geometries reveal a deformation pattern consistent with compressive loading at the surface due to loss of support from a subterranean cavity collapse related to Texas Brine Oxy Geismar Well #3. The precursor deformation was nearly entirely horizontal, i.e., oriented along the surface, and manifested as movement of surface material toward the location where the sinkhole later formed. The sinkhole formed in the area with the largest gradient in surface strain, but did not cover the full extent of the precursory deformation detected with radar. ...
[snip]

http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2013/12/12/G34972.1.abstract

******************************************

Back in Dec., TB published a containment system fact sheet. I thought the snip below was of particular interest. Try as I might, I still cannot decide how this will play out in the future. The idle thought crossed my mind: "I wonder if the whole swamp can drain down into the sinkhole?"

Next thing we know, they'll be trying what Indonesia did with their mud volcano...plugging the hole.

[snip]
...
Since completion of the containment system, a small naturally-occurring downward hydraulic gradient has been observed that causes surface waters to flow from areas surrounding the sinkhole towards, and then down into, the sinkhole. This gradient naturally prevents hydrocarbons and chlorides from escaping the sinkhole.

Because of the naturally-occurring downward hydraulic gradient, water transfers into the sinkhole have been initiated to maintain a sinkhole water level of approximately 6" to 18" below the swamp level outside the sinkhole berm.
...
[snip]

Page not found - TBC

http://www.texasbrine.com/response/TBC_Sinkhole_Containment_System_Factsheet_FINAL-120513.pdf

**Emily** · January 17, 2014, 03:45 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

mixin, I was delighted to see that the Louisiana Sinkhole Bugle got permission to post a link to the whole text of that JPL/NASA paper on their blog here:

http://lasinkhole.wordpress.com/tag/...-radar-system/

You'll find a link to the paper in PDF format not far down the page. The authors make the point that their radar could have picked up trouble brewing a month before the sinkhole formation. They discuss the situation with Oxy3 and say if it collapses, the sinkhole could expand a lot faster than the current one formed since the geology is so fragile around there now. Also they can't image under the water in the sinkhole, so unless deformation is expansive enough outside of the sinkhole perimeter, it might not be possible to predict the next collapse. (However if the deformation is on the scale of the first event, then they'll have a chance to predict more trouble.)
That's just my paraphrase from a quick read without background in the science, so take it with a grain of salt. It is fascinating that there was what sounds to me like a slow, horizontal landslide before the sinkhole formed.

What you found in the TB factsheet is also very intriguing:

a small naturally-occurring downward hydraulic gradient

I don't know about that 'naturally-occuring' description,

, but I guess gravity is natural enough. I just wonder about where the water is going. Is it filling a void vacated by hydrocarbons or created by sediment or rock crushing? Is it finding a crack that has been opened?

**mixin** · January 22, 2014, 06:15 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

Actually, I had to look up what a "naturally-occurring downward hydraulic gradient" was.

I noticed they quit reporting on water transfers into the sinkhole and wondered why. Now I see in their daily reports they are collecting water samples from sinkhole "in-flow sites"; that must be either a result of the downward gradient or they made them.

The public meeting last week had some updated info on the new south berm that is going to replace the new/old south berm. The berm experienced a 2-3 ft. subsidence over a short period of time but has had none since the last burp episode. In this screen cap I took of the map, the blue line toward the bottom is the new berm. The area he is pointing at is 50' from Bayou Corne and the southern area is about 200' away.

One of the people at the meeting asked what was their plan if the second berm failed to do its job. They have laid the groundwork to re-rout the bayou if it comes to that. (but they don't expect that to happen

) I wonder if they expected to build a new berm so soon after building the other new berm?

The latest depth measurement of the sinkhole is ~200', with the deepest spot being ~250'. John said his measurement after the latest slough-in was 208'. Seems like it wasn't too long ago that it was about twice that deep. My thought is there haven't been enough slough-ins to fill in that much of the sinkhole.

They are also "de-watering" some of the wells so the shallow gas pockets can be emptied. They are dumping that water into the sinkhole, too.

There was a short discussion about the Crostex and Arcadia gas lines; apparently they are re-routing them.

I didn't come away from watching the meeting feeling very optimistic that they have things under control...

**Emily** · January 24, 2014, 06:08 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

That does sound like a big change there in sinkhole depth. Back when the depth was measuring 400-750 ft, (depending on the method), I think the sinkhole was 25 acres and I think now it's only 26. (But I could be wrong on those numbers.) But the 'upside down witch hat' shape of the sinkhole might explain the sudden loss of depth without a lot more land slumping in. Either that or something is swelling up. I guess that is unlikely.

There's a new technical report on the study LSU did on Hwy 70:

http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/fr_514.pdf

Bayou Corne Sinkhole: Control Measurements of
State Highway 70 in Assumption Parish, Louisiana.
Joshua D. Kent
Louisiana State University
Center for GeoInformatics
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

From what I understand, (could be wrong so best to read it yourselves), the study did not find evidence that the road is moving, but there were some data anomalies, particularly at control point 517. I circled the point in purple on their map since it is a little hard to read downsized for this post:

As these data reveal, the majority of measurements were within 0.17 ft. (~2.1 in.) and 0.25 ft. (7.7 in.) of the expected (i.e., mean) horizontal and vertical values, respectively. There were, however, a number of outlier measurements, most notably at control point #517. The anomalous outliers and variability observed over the study period demonstrates is not
too uncommon for static GPS observations.

I think that basically they are recommending more vigorous study of the area.

**mixin** · January 24, 2014, 08:17 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

So TB used a method known to produce anomalous outliers; and now that it has, they don't know if it's just a monitoring problem or if something is really going on in that area. I wonder who at TB makes these decisions.

BTW, a resident asked about the dual-phase vapor extraction system and he was cut off. The TB rep (?) said they decided not to use it so there was no reason to discuss it. It was brought up again later in the meeting and he admitted there was too much risk for water production/high risk for subsidence so they terminated it.

I went back and looked at the last ping measurements and they are still basically the same; it's John's measurements that have changed a lot. I wonder if those burps clear the way for more debris to fall into the cone area, like sand in an hourglass? I wonder how much pressure it takes for one of those burps to happen? If it's powerful to send debris 200'+ to the surface, it must be substantial.

They discussed the berm subsidence and he said it correlated with the microseismicity. What they think is happening is "when the cavern consumes a little bit more material, it causes a shift at the surface, sands move in toward the sinkhole and we'll get an acute event. At one point, it was subsiding at about 1 ft per week; it's an alarming rate but fortunately, it stopped." (These were his words)

**Emily** · January 30, 2014, 09:31 PM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/work-on-new-containment-l

Work on new containment levee near sinkhole paused during icy weather
POSTED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 11:42pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 11:49pm
Kris Cusanza Reporter

BAYOU CORNE,LA (NBC33) ? Crews temporarily paused work on the work on the new southern containment berm in Bayou Corne because of the wintery weather. Texas Brine spokesman Sonny Cranch, said crews did not work on the levee Tuesday or Wednesday.

...

Once the sand layer is complete, Cranch said, crews will add a layer of geotextile fabric, then a layer of clay, and then eventually a layer of limestone...

**Emily** · February 13, 2014, 04:18 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

I hope this doesn't indicate new cancer cases:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...01&postcount=2

?But there are now cases of cancer in 80 houses in Bayou Corne,? Honor? said, adding that salt domes were the ?like WMDs? ? Weapons of Mass Destruction ? because they were used to hold chemicals ranging from butane and methane to oil and gas.

**Emily** · February 26, 2014, 04:26 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

This is in the direction of the control point 517 anomaly shown on the map in post #250 above, though a bit west and north. So maybe that anomaly was gas trying to find an exit point.

http://theadvocate.com/home/8477575-...termine-origin

Tests underway to determine origin of newest bubbles near sinkhole
by David J. Mitchell
February 25, 2014

State and parish agencies are testing to see whether newly discovered gas bubbles northeast of the Bayou Corne-area sinkhole are tied to the swampland hole, authorities said Tuesday.

The state Office of Conservation and contractor CB&I have taken samples of the gas bubbles to determine their source, the state office said in a statement, though officials acknowledge the bubbles likely are connected to the sinkhole.

The new bubble site in Grand Bayou is about one-third of a mile north of La. 70 and La. 69, parish officials said. Most bubble sites tied to the sinkhole have been discovered in the Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou waterways and elsewhere farther to the west and south...

**Emily** · February 28, 2014, 12:54 AM

Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2013

Insurance Journal

Scientists: New Bubbles at Louisiana Sinkhole Site Could Signal Blast Risk
February 27, 2014

...
Parish officials said 100 such sites had been found prior to the latest discovery.

Scientists think the gas presents an explosion risk for residents and the area remains under an evacuation order 18 months after the sinkhole appeared...

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article...nclick_check=1

La. 70 near Bayou Corne sinking faster
Data suggest area sinkhole could be cause
Feb. 27, 2014

http://www.wafb.com/story/24844744/r...e-losing-faith

Residents who remain near Bayou Corne sinkhole say they're losing faith
Posted: Updated:
By Cheryl Mercedes

Announcement

Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012-2015

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