SMRI and Blue Ribbon Commission’s Conflicts of Interest.
by: Freedomrox
As much as the Corporate Program known as “Responsible Care” is plastered on the Water Tower near Bayou Corne, and is a global initiative for every Corporate Member at the Napoleonville Salt Dome, but is not associated with Texas Brine in any way, except for the fact they are members along with every Company that does business on the Dome, yet is often misunderstood as being Texas Brine’s motto. Of course, as we’ve seen responsible care is the last thing to be associated with Texas Brine, LLC.
Yet again, almost every single Company at the Dome is a Member, as is many of the Service Companies, and Support Services are shown to be Members of the Solution Mining Research Institute. It seems to be a prerequisite to doing business there.
What is much more disturbing is the fact that nearly half of the Members of the Governor Bobby Jindal’s appointed Blue Ribbon Commission are also Members of the Solution Mining Research Institute, (SMRI), or closely affiliated. These incestuous relationships call into question the objectivity of such a Commission whose lion’s share of it’s members owe allegiance to a Texas Brine co-founded Solution Mining Research Institute, and yet one that owes no allegiance at all to the people of Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne.
This is shameful and disingenuous at best, but, of course, that is only one man’s opinion.
At the website of the Institute, are some disturbing admissions, such as;
“The Solution Mining Research Institute (SMRI) is interested in the production of salt brine and the utilization of the resulting caverns for the storage of oil, gas, chemicals, compressed air and waste” (sic)
as well as;
“SMRI has the following purposes:
Sponsor and engage in research related to solution mining, cavern storage/utilization, and environmental effects thereof.
Present papers of current interest to the industry relative to solution mining and cavern utilization. For information on presenting papers at or attending our next conference, see ‘CONFERENCES section.
Serve as a technology center and representative for the industry.
Assist in the promulgation of governmental regulations and laws affecting the solution mining industry.”
Number 4 will become very disturbing, very quickly as you shall soon see.
Now, let’s take a look at the Blue Ribbon Commission Members:
Pierre Berest, Ph.D., Research Director at France’s Ecole Polytechnique, member of French Commission for Underground Storage Safety, former president of the Solution Mining Research Institute.
James Linn, Ph.D., Geotechnical consultant, former president of Solution Mining Research Institute, former Underground Storage Technology Manager for Sandia National Laboratories.
John Voigt, Executive Director of Solution Mining Research Institute, President of Voigt Mining and Geotechnical, specializing in salt geology and brine/water inflow evaluation.
Doesn’t look too good so far, does it, but not too damning, until we get to the other members, that is. Please keep this one fact in mind when you see the following names, attached to Sandia National Laboratories, and CB&I, (formerly Shaw Group) for they are members of the Solution Mining Research Institute.
David Borns, Ph.D., Geotechnology and Engineering Program Manager for Sandia National Laboratories, research focused on subsurface monitoring for environmental applications, risk assessments and simulations.
Gary Hecox, Ph.D., Senior Hydrogeologist and GIS Analyst with CB&I, technical lead for CB&I Bayou Corne response team.
Blayne Hartman, Ph.D., Geochemist with Hartman Environmental Geoscience, contributor to regulatory guidance documents on vapor intrusion for EPA and several state agencies.
As for the rest of the Commission, I have no opinion, and not casting aspersions upon any of the members of the Blue Ribbon Commission or their character, nor integrity. However it is apparent that conflicts of interests do arise, especially in light of the information as listed above, and becomes highly sensitive where the Blue Ribbon Commission is concerned, since they have been charged with public safety, and is of immediate concern for the residents, as stated in the Blue Ribbon Commission’s Mission Statement;
“To provide benchmarks for the recommendations, the commission will address at least two key factors, including appropriate conditions to determine sustained public safety and the data needed to assess those conditions. The commission will make recommendations on what the safety benchmarks should be and on when they have been sufficiently met.”
Now for information that has absolutely stunned me, and still cannot quite believe, but here it is in black and white and a possible reason why the State seems to be squarely upon the side of industry, especially in light of #3 and #4 of SMRI’s Mission Statement:
“Assist in the promulgation of governmental regulations and laws affecting the solution mining industry.”
An alarming statement considering a member of the Solution Mining Institute is:
I leave it to the People affected by this disaster to make their own minds up as to the information contained above. I am merely the researcher and the messenger.
Personally I have grave reservations over any Texas Brine co-founded Solution Mining Research Institute’s abilities to affect the decisions of the Blue Ribbon Commission as well as Louisiana State Government, when it’s members include the key elements of the State and Federal governments that are charged with regulation and safety of the people of the State of Louisiana and beyond.
Now we can understand why all common sense and restrictive bills upon solution mining fall by the wayside. My heart also goes out to the people of Jefferson Island and Lake Peigneur, for AGL Resources is also a member of this very powerful and politically influential Solution Mining Research Institute.
Today, May 20, 2013, marked a milestone in Louisiana history, whether anyone knows it or not. Governor Bobby Jindal visited the people of Bayou Corne/Grand Bayou and gave the most hypocritical speech that I have heard in a very long time. Of course, in the world of politics, this is seemingly an everyday occurrence, yet this one took the cake, so to speak.
After listening to Jindal, in spite of his political bluster, stood at the podium and admitted that there was nothing they could do about Texas Brine LLC’s failure to live up to it’s promises and deadlines concerning resident buyouts, other than to issue empty threats about permits. If Jindal really was serious, then he would authorize an official investigation into Texas Brine’s business practices and the many laws they have broken throughout the years…and there have been many!
The “Go To Patsy”, that was forced to follow Scott Angelle; Mr. Steven Chustz, has still not provided an answer as to where the location of 50 salt cavern’s worth of ‘radioactive scale’ for the last 50 years has disappeared to, nor it’s disposition. Also, no word has come from the Senate Committee that asked Mr. Chustz to report on the 1991-1994 cavern injections, or upon the Solka Floc slurry system both LDEQ and LDNR illegally signed off onto. The point is not whether radioactive materials were actually injected, or burned, or simply dumped in a landfill, (which would be a separate crime all upon it’s own), but the fact that the laws of the time were broken and between Louisiana Government Agencies, and Private Companies, constituting Conspiracy, ongoing cover ups, and RICO violations.
Remember please the dishonest way that Texas Brine, LLC has acted since this disaster first began, as evidenced by Texas Brine LLC’s claim that earth tremors caused the failure of its salt cavern,
Parish Officials and Stephen Chustz fired back at Texas Brine’s silly statements, amid a slough-in that opened the caved in sinkhole even further. Texas Brine’s response was that the event never took place.
Finally after repeated threats and missing several deadlines, Texas Brine states they will play ball and follow the Directives, and finally sink their first vent well in November, three months after the fact.
Conservation brings in Shaw, (now CB&I), which is a partner of Texas Brine’s in the Texas Brine co-founded ‘Solution Mining Institute’, as is;
Sandia National Laboratories
Class B
Mr. David J. Borns
Dept. 6113 – MS 0706 P.O. Box 5800
Albuquerque, 87185-0706, NM
United States
+1 (505) 844-7333.
Does that ring a bell? Isn’t Mr. Borns on the Blue Ribbon Commission? Isn’t Dr. Gary Hecox of CB&I? As is Pierre Berest, Ph.D, James Linn, Ph.D., Geotechnical consultant, former president of Solution Mining Research Institute, and John Voigt, Executive Director of Solution Mining Research Institute. Seems a conflict of interest here. SOCON, and Baker Hughes are all members as well. Dow is a member as well as Sabine Storage & Operations, Inc. from Houston, TX. This will be important in a moment.
The point of this article is not just about the incestuous relationships between all operators on the Dome, or the companies that service them, although it is one helluva point all on its own, nor is the point that the LDNR, Conservation, and LDEQ, that permitted, encouraged, and helped cover up the problems Texas Brine knew it had already caused, and all involved covered that fact up; are now working in tandem to fix the cover-up. No, my point has nothing to do with the ‘Foxes guarding the Henhouse’, but maybe it should be.
The real point is that despite Governor Bobby Jindal’s threats and blustering, will not mean a whit in the policy making processes of the Insurance Companies resistance to a precedent-setting and historical decision. What decision, you may ask? The one of paying off the victims of a disaster to the tune of possibly half a billion dollars, before liability has been set forth by a court of competent jurisdiction. That is the one point that cannot be ignored, and I have noticed it being the center of a buzz, and is constantly bandied about on nearly every Insurance blog on the net in the last year.
Think about it; just how much of your daily life is controlled by Insurance Companies? Which industry successfully lobbied for every single person to be forced to carry Auto Insurance, or be fined? Which industry will not even allow a bank loan to issue for your own home, unless you carry homeowner’s insurance? Cargo Insurance, etc, etc., ad nauseam?
If Governor Bobby Jindal was truly serious about helping the people of Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne, then I find myself reluctantly agreeing with Mr. John Achee Jr.’s stance of the Governor pleading for federal assistance to come in and take over this truly un-natural disaster. I know this is not popular with the whole community, and a healthy distrust of the Federal Government, (especially in light of the recent tyrannical scandals of late), is entirely understandable, but please allow me to explain.
With Federal Assistance, the Army Corps of Engineers and their unlimited resources would come into play, as well as the National Disaster Relief Fund, which would place the full resources of the federal government, and State Agencies to the task of finding a true mitigation of this ongoing, slow-motion disaster. Also, buyouts would be handled with Federal and State funds, and it would then be the responsibility of the Feds and the State to sue Texas Brine and Occidental Chemical for reparations, and the burden not be laid at the feet of the resident’s and unintentional victims to recover in long drawn out court battles that may last 10-15 year; which is where this seems to be heading.
Those not wanting to leave should stay in the Mandatory Evacuation Zone and be prepared to suffer any of the consequences of that decision, but those that want to move out of the way of this slow motion train wreck of enormous proportions should be compensated, and allowed to move on with their lives.
I have not even delved into the probable forthcoming victim’s of Pierre Part as the methane has migrated to the western edges of the MRAA aquifer, and damages already being reported in that area. LDNR, LDEQ, and Conservation have completely ignored all complaints and reports, many times with outright lies and obfuscation. This cannot be allowed to go on, and it won’t. More on that in an upcoming article.
I state that if something is not done very soon in respects to the long-suffering victim’s, that a clarion call should be raised that the Governor be impeached, and charges brought against all State Agencies, as well as the Federal Government, for not responding to a National Emergency regarding the Nation’s Energy Supply, and refusing to protect National Security in these regards.
Whether anyone truly grasps the scope and scale of how important this region is to the National Interests and Security is irrelevant, for the State and Federal Government already know and have failed the People of Louisiana, and the People of America, in their lackadaisical response to this highly sensitive area of our energy supplies, as well as ignoring the environmental stability and well-being of a major watershed and wildlife habitat.
The State Agencies involved should be restrained from issuing any further drilling permits, [four (4) in the last ten months for the north, south, and east sides of a water-infiltrated, and fractured Napoleonville Salt Dome], and a permanent moratorium on the design and engineering of any new Solution Mined Caverns anywhere on the Dome should be a part of the Orders and Directives, while allowing the ones already in operation to remain, under close scrutiny. No one is suggesting Corporations should abandon the Dome, (although Gulf South fled it’s Magnolia Facility, and Chevron is in limbo), but until the extent of the damages, and infiltration to the Salt Dome are honestly assessed, then it is not too much to ask that no more caverns should be created until answers are known.
Which brings me to my last point, and one that should outrage each and every one of you, and while still there, should fight with every ounce of energy at your disposal, and that is the recent Public Notice that appeared in the Bayou Journal by Sabine Storage & Operations, Inc. from Houston, TX, and on behalf of Dow Hydrocarbons Resources Inc. All contacts, phone numbers, and mailing addresses are included in this notice, and if you agree, should definitely make your voices heard, and stop this irresponsible and hazardous activity.
Just on the off chance no one actually clicks the link above, then please understand that it contains a Public Notice that Sabine, and Dow intend to solution mine another additional cavern to the South East Side of the Napoleonville Salt Dome nearest Napoleonville, La.
(More may be added to this post as available, and special thanks to the local, who sent me the Bayou Journal notice, and Kenny Simoneaux as well.)
(Special Thanks to On Wings Of Care, and Ms. Bonny, and the Power Hour)
I have avoided for a while giving my opinion and the opinion of many others, the light of day concerning how this geological nightmare in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, also known as the “Great Louisiana Sinkhole”, came into being on August 3, 2012..
I can no longer put this off as so many have sent emails asking for my humble opinion and compilation of the events that led up to the present situation. Please take into account this is not just my opinion alone, and that there is a reputable geologist, hydrologist, seismologist, and a salt rock mechanic, (geologist specializing in salt rock formations), that comprise the team that makes this blog possible. All are volunteers, and they are all greatly appreciated. Most are still engaged in their respective fields, and therefore cannot be named at this juncture, for fear of retaliation.
With that firmly stated, and acknowledged, then on with the explanation as we see it.
First we have Hooker Oil Well #1 that was drilled to a depth of 6,200 ft., which is why it was later named 6200 RA SUA , (HookerOilWell1 History). The well was first drilled and completed in 1986 down to the depleted formation shown in the 2007 3-D survey. It was drilled 338 ft. directionally in an southeastern direction for a Bottom Hole Location offset..
It changed hands a few times until Energy Self Service Oils, Baton Rouge, La. took it over in 2006 for Natural Gas, then sometime between then and Feb. 2008, (likely earlier, since its shown depleted in 2007 3D survey by Golden Gate), just up and walked off.
Orphaned without a word to anyone. The state had to come in and P&A the well themselves in 5/12/2010. This shows the actual effectiveness of the Dept. of Conservation, as it took them three (3) years, to figure out this well was orphaned and only because deer hunter’s complained about the oil leaking from the wellhead and rusting tanks left behind. This was an open well, and right next door to the Oxy #3 cavern and at the same depths. The depletion of this formation right next door to Oxy 3 and the salt dome may have had a role to play in all of this due to its proximity just underneath the Oxy #3 Cavern, and I intend to prove just how.
ERRORS: (Part I)
OIL WELL VS. SALT CAVERNEQUALS DISTRESSED SHALE SHEATH
Recall that the Oxy #3 cavern was at a depth of 5,923 ft. deep, and Hooker Oil Well #1 (later changed to SUA 6200), was drilled to 6200 ft. just 980 ft. (surface wellhead) from Oxy #3 (surface wellhead). The top of hydrocarbon sand formation was at a vertical top of approximately 4235 ft., and a bottom depth of approximately 6500 ft. dropping even lower along the gradient of the salt wall, according to the 2007 3D survey, so now it is time to do some quick math.
At surface 980 ft. between wellheads, and taking into account half the volume of the bottom of Oxy 3, which was 300 ft., then we are left with 150 ft (+/- 30 ft.) jutting to the west side from center of bore. Then taking into account an ‘M’ sands formation of approximately 900-1000 ft. (squared) pay extrapolated from nearly 20 years of production before considered depleted, due to the drive force reaching static pressure, (usually a water drive, but sometimes other drives exist, likely methane gas, and does not mean empty, just no longer able to recover hydrocarbons), with an offset casing of 338 ft. towards the Shale Sheath, leaving 750 ft. (horizontal) pressuring the shale sheath eastward with the formation top at 4235 ft. and a sloping bottom formation depth of 6500 ft. (vertical) leaves us with only 50-80 ft. (again +/- 30 ft.) of Shale Sheath seperating the Oxy #3 cavern and the bottom 1016 ft. (vertical) of said Cavern 3 being pressured by the oil formation against the Shale Sheath, as shown by the straight line deformation of the SONAR survey of Oxy #3, with pressures slowly falling over the years of the oilwell’s useful lifespan, while at the same time Texas Brine is mining salt from inside the Salt Dome’s edge, therefore exposing more of Cavern 3 to the shale sheath over it’s useful lifetime.
(Click all highlighted text and all images to enlarge and open)
Now if that doesn’t clarify things for you, then it sure should have left the reader completely baffled. Essentially, a very thin shale sheath was separating the bottom 1000 ft. of the Cavern from the pressuring oil formation abutting against the sheath. This pressuring could have been a good thing until the pressures decreased and not exerting the same amount of force as it previously did before being produced. Any Geologist worth his salt, (pun intended), could see the straight line deformation of the Sonar scans of Occidental Geismar Brine Well #3, and realize it was pressing against a solid surface and not an elastic one such as salt rock which is never in a straight line.
ERRORS PLUS A GAMBLE: (Part II)
The Mill Out:
It seems ever more self-evident that Texas Brine knew what was happening with Cavern 3, and made plans in 2010 to abandon Cavern # 3 in favor of milling out an upper cavern starting at 2380 ft. Remember the top of Cavern 3 was at 3400 ft. so this left Texas Brine with nearly 900 ft. of salt above Cavern 3, (once they cemented the top of this cavern), and 1400 ft. above to stay safely below the caprock, then, dear reader, please realize how much salt could have been mined from such a space for years to come, and a source of income for Texas Brine and the Owner, Occidental Chemical Corp. if they had pulled this gamble off.
Unfortunately, at best, only 300 ft. of salt existed at 2380-2480 ft.from the outside of the dome, and at worst only 100 ft. of salt separated the dome from the outside shale, and a normal mill out pressure is initially approximately 1500 psi at depth or 0.8 psi per foot of depth, (per Regulations) which would create a cavity of approximately 100-200 ft of open space (horizontally, and at least 100 feet in vertical height) around the wellbore casing using freshwater. It is my contention, and the opinions of others far more experienced than I am, that the salt was breached into shale and the overburden of the salt overhang slammed down and thereby set off a nearby fault line in the shale, which was truly the beginning of this entire disaster. The shale sheath protecting Cavern 3 fractured as a result of this Mill Out, and cavern pressures were immediately noted to be dropping.
Suspecting this was the case, and thinking they had miscalculated, then Texas Brine commissioned Baker-Hughes to come in and run a Vertical Seismic Profile, (VSP), on September 25, 2010, and permitted by LDNR and Conservation, to map the edge of salt after the fact, instead of doing so before the fatal Mill Out of 2010.
An engineering blunder that is costing them unto this day, yet Occidental is still the Owner of the Cavern and of the land and mineral rights, and suffers none of the liabilty publicly. One wonders what the agreement is between the two companies that allows this situation to occur?
As a reminder, here are the results of that VSP.
It has been postulated by Mr. Gary Hecox, and Mr. Will Pettitt, that eight oil and gas bearing formations are pinched up against the edge of the dome and supplying all of the methane gas, oil, and produced waters via the ‘Disturbed Rock Zone’.
It is a flimsy premise at first glance considering the eighth producing formation sand level is over 14,000 ft. deep, and surely natural formation waters alone would not provide a strong enough ‘drive’ to provide the ‘push’ that the heavy hydrocarbons would need to force their way to the surface if not fractured or drilled. Upon further investigation though, maybe they know something we do not. Possibly a very BIG something.
Such as the fact that there are no obstructions between the sand formations at depth, and the E&P Injection Wells within close proximity to the edge of the Napoleonville salt dome. E&P, stands for Exploration and Production Wastes, such as drill cuttings, brine wastes, benzene, toulene, etc. and such, within production water wastes from oilfields. For more information on E&P Wastes, please consult: http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/industrial/special/oil/oil-gas.pdf
The closest is the old Hallar Enterprises Inc. Disposal Site on Hwy. 70, Pierre Part, La., which is less than a mile away as the crow flies and formerly injected wastes to a sand formation at just over 12,000 ft, deep into a depleted oil well, and fractured shale, where oil sands may easily carry injected produced waters in a south easterly direction. This well has been P&A’d, (Plugged and Abandoned), and the building torn down recently, yet the wastes still remain somewhere, complete with a Flare that waxes and wanes with the Seismic Activity, as does the the ‘Sugar Shack’ Flare off Hwy. 69, very near the 2010 Mantle Oil & Gas ‘Kick’, in which the Halliburton Blowout Preventer malfunctioned, just as it did in the GOM at Macondo/BP….
Next are two wells owned by FAS Environmental Services LLC in Pierre Part, 1081 Hwy 70, Well Serial Numbers 156044, and 973168. One such Injection well Serial # 973168 injected 1,156,970 Barrels in 2011 alone, download the report below:
That is 48,592,740 (million) gallons in just 2011 alone injected at a depth of 3700 – 3965 ft. bearing sands. It makes one wonder just what kind of oversight is in place around these Salt Domes to allow such polluted wastes to be slurried into sand streams, and what by-products are generated at depths that could easily be the ‘push waters’, (produced waters), that are possibly the actual drives behind the waters that are forcing hydrocarbons into the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer, (MRAA) at the sinkhole in Bayou Corne, as well as forcing the methane gas deposits into the MRAA aquifer as well.
There is nothing we can find to stop the fractured ‘Depleted Oil Formation Wells’ from supplying the surrounding Formation Sands from migrating eastwards, and supply the ‘Push Waters’, (which are Oil Drilling Waste Waters injected into the earth), forcing the oil, and gas into the ‘Great Louisiana Sinkhole’.
As an Aside; I have still not received any answers from Texas Brine, LLC, as to the disposition of their NORM/TENORM deposits, and LDNR refuses my calls. FOIA anyone?
Where are the regulations, statutes, codes, and laws to guard against such irresponsibility? Not only in regards to Deep E&P Waste Water Injection Wells, but to protect the public health and welfare from insane business practices that do not consider the lives, health, or environment in their business models?
THEY EXIST, but are NOT ENFORCED! That is, in regards to injection wells, yet none exist that protects natural Salt Domes, that Geologists have known for a hundred years to be a trap for oil, gas, and waters bourne by the sands around them.
This is a wide spread concern and not just in Louisiana, but this State’s Department of Conservation is a Joke! It’s Department of Environmental Quality has completely DEPARTED, and the Department of Natural Resources seems to be onboard with the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association!
Just as Scott Angelle, the former head of LDNR jumped ship within days of the Sinkhole Disaster, and moved away from the area, to pursue his own interests in the (LOL) “Public Service Commission”, to side-step and avoid the crimes he was responsible for; so too it seems that James Welsh, the ‘Maestro’ behind all of this absolutely horrific breakdown of regulations and rules regarding all forms of Injection Wastes since 1978, and responsible for even more lax over-sight of any Salt Dome Caverns, and Deep Well EP Wastewater Injection Wells that dot most of the State… just skates on away, while the collateral damage of wasted lives, cancer-ridden victims, taxpayers, and tourists, suffer for these ‘Officials’ greed and personal aggrandizement, as well as their hubris…that, in and of itself, to me…. is the most reprehensible of crimes. To drive this point home, please visit the EPA’s Current Conditions for Louisiana: Water Quality, as well as EPA Injection Wells in Louisiana and Violations (2007-2010).
Hopefully, I have expressed the professional opinions of the people that proffer their technical expertise to me free of charge, as well as their personal opinions and professional acumen appropriately, and apologize to these good people for my emotional statements towards the end of this article, yet I cannot regret my words.
It is time for a change. This time for the better. It is OUR WORLD, not the politician’s, lobbyist’s, special interests, nor the playground of big corporations. It is all of ours, and it’s time we take back what is ours.
As a parting shot, please take a look at my very horrible graphic, (gimme a break, I did it in Paint), to give a hint as to what we suspect is truly happening beneath the earth on the Western face of the Salt Dome. After intensive study, none of us could find a fault block area that would prevent this scenario from actually taking place, but since none of us can actually stick our heads down 12,000 ft., then of course it is all subjective. (Again forgive the childish quality of the hand painted graphic as it is only for visualization purposes of a probable scenario)
LEGEND:
Red=Oil Formations and flows
Purple=Produced Waters
Green= Chemical mixes
Yellow=Methane gas
Light blue=natural water drives
Orange=Oil Sands carrying lower formation waters, and gases
(NOTE TO RETURNING READERS, THE UPDATE REBUTTAL IS HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD LETTERS BELOW)
A truly shocking revelation has been uncovered in SONRIS files concerning the fragile and ‘too close to salt edge’, Occidental Geismar #1, as well as four other caverns on the east side of Grand Bayou.
Last week, it was revealed that Oxy #1 was found to be in potential jeopardy and possible collapse since it lies within 1-200 ft. from the Salt Dome’s edge.
Although no real shock to those in the know, what else was found regarding Occidental-Geismar #1 Cavern, turned out to be a real electrifying revelation.
Many community meetings have been held in Assumption Parish with the residents affected by the ‘Great Louisiana Sinkhole’ formed by the failure of Oxy-Geismar #3 salt cavern known to be on the edge of the Napoleonville Salt Dome, by Texas Brine and the Owner of the actual cavern itself, Occidental Chemical Corporation. Although asked about the possible NORM contained by other caverns, no real answers were forthcoming. Now we understand why this was never answered.
Buried deep within the bowels of SONRIS at LDNR and in a well file relating to Gulf South #1 failed cavern that terrorized the community of Grand Bayou in 2003, were documents relating to Texas Brine and Occidental’s dealings with James Welsh concerning the disposal of ‘calcium and magnesium brine precipitates’, later changed to ‘brine sludge’, and both terms meaning Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials, (NORM), and the injection of these materials back into the caverns in which they were produced.
In a letter dated July 8, 1991, James Welsh in responding to a May 1, and May 29 requests for NORM to be put back into the following Well(s), Serial #’s 142315, 109979, 110339, 151645, and were not only given permission by then Mining Director Welsh to inject, but additionally informed they would have no problems with continuing Class III brine mining from these same caverns but would also have no problem being permitted for Class II Storage Wells if asked for in the future.
Then in 1994, another set of letters concerning NORM passed between Bill Walters at LDNR and Jim McCartney of Texas Brine requesting Well(s) Serial #’s, 109979 again, 151645 again, and 142316, be injected once more, and was again answered by Mr. Welsh on August 23, 1994, and informed that
Even more disturbing is that this time Texas Brine proposed a Solka Floc system that would prepare the NORM to be re-injected into the above documented caverns, thereby transforming the NORM into Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials, (TENORM), and the Department of Environmental Quality passed it without question, and with only a sketch to go by; with no plans to follow up after construction, before introducing said materials into the caverns, and all unconcerned that these Wells remained Class III brine mining wells, while at the same time, being used for radioactive sludge waste injection caverns.
Before I go further, I feel it is incumbent upon me to inform you, the reader, that not once, but twice OXY GEISMAR #1 is proposed for these TENORM injections, as evidenced by Serial Number 151645, which turns out to be the very cavern that is now suspected of being mined too close to the edge of the Salt Dome, and could potentially fail. I would also like to point out this was done at a time when it was illegal under any circumstances to place any radioactive materials into salt caverns of any kind.
I submit this fact was known far ahead of time as submitted in earlier articles, but further evidence has come to light supporting such a supposition.
On August 25, 2012 and only three weeks after the OXY GEISMAR #3 cavern had collapsed, Occidental and Texas Brine sent in a team to immediately perform a SONAR scan of Oxy Geismar #1 and of no other caverns as shown in these pictures provided by LDNR.
These pictures and the SONAR of Oxy Geismar #1 screams that Occidental and Texas Brine had reason to be alarmed that this particular cavern might breach out, as opposed to say, Oxy Geismar #2, located directly behind the failed Cavern 3.
This is very disturbing news indeed. Although not a conspiracy minded person…I must admit this smacks of conspiracy and of an on-going coverup.
I do not state this lightly, as Occidental and Texas Brine side-stepped these issues before when questions arose concerning the presence of NORM in Oxy-Geismar #3 by stating that in 1995 they received permission from LDNR, but not from LDEQ. That really seems disingenious in the extreme, considering the Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality, Linda Levy, gave full permission in 1994, as did James Welsh, of LDNR Director of Injection and Mining Division, for the TENORM injection of waste materials into 5 other caverns.
If there is even a way for these obviously corrupt corporations and the State Agencies charged with the Safety of the Public Health and Welfare of the People of Louisiana, to weasel their way from under these allegations, then these questions still remain…. If in 1991 there was enough NORM for four wells, and in 1994, enough existed for three more wells, and then with just an average of 20 cu. ft. of NORM that was to be placed in Oxy #3, then we have 160 cu. ft.of radioactive materials floating around in limbo whether just underground in the Solka Floc system and a ‘Tank’, or laying in piles all over the dome, with the many other wells on the Dome, is also the potential for 1000’s of Feet of Radioactive Materials in unknown locations exposed to the elements, or as stated in the above letters; re-injected into caverns, where they could be pumped out to an end producer for potcarb including nutrition supplements for dairy cattle, video glass for television and computer monitors, other specialty glass, potassium silicates, fertilizers, gas processing, industrial intermediaries, photographic development processes, detergents, and food products, such as the Occidental-Geismar Chemical Plant in Geismar. Louisiana, or to Dow, which uses the chlorides for many end user products, such as plastics, and a host of other end user products that could be on a Store Shelf near you.
None of us ever to expected our Bagged Fertilizers, nor our Chlorox type cleaners, to actually glow in the dark. Not stating they are, but it is a valid question.
If this does not spark an investigation by the Federal Government, then what on earth ever will? Raw Milk?
REBUTTAL TO MR. BRUCE MARTIN OF TEXAS BRINE
Apparently the very next day after this article was released Texas Brine, LLC Spokesman, Bruce Martin made a Public Statement concerning NORM injections into Oxy Geismar 1 and 3. Mr. Martin claims no injections ever took place.
(Please go to 4 mins, and 30 seconds of this video to listen to Mr. Martin’s reply.)
According to Mr. Martin, ‘Brine Precipitates’ fell out of the wellheads of Oxy 3 and another at Chacahoula. Just fell out. Huh?
He explains they were so out of touch, they hadn’t a clue what they were looking at… Is that credible? More importantly, is that “Responsible Care”?
He then goes on to explain that you should take his word that over a five year period, 1990, 1991, 1994, and 1995, each citing different Caverns for disposal; (see documents below), that Texas Brine only sought permits to what they stated as their goal of action, and that was re-injecting NORM into SIX (6) different caverns on JUST THE NAPOLEONVILLE SALT DOME.
After multiple incidents, and to remind you of just one, Texas Brine employees did not follow State Issued Orders to alert (well) anyone that they had H2S coming from the failed well over the top of the caprock. Nor do they inform the local residents already in a State Declared Emergency and Disaster Area, of when slough-ins, ‘burps’, seismic activities, or methane or ‘Big Gulps’ of water take place until three, four days, and sometimes even longer periods of time, as evidenced by the latest revelations at the Senate Hearing, that three more acres were lost in one week, and looks to exceed their projected expansion totals they have touted for so many months as the maximum size of the ‘sinkhole’.
We have WRITTEN and DOCUMENTED PROOF of their INTENT, yet, Mr. Martin wants us to take his WORD. Not good enough. Where is the documentation PROVING that none of the materials in question were not re-injected, and if so, then please show documentation detailing where it did go, or was it allowed to stay onsite to endanger the workers until it’s radioactivity dropped to a ‘safe level’. The PEOPLE have a right to know!!!
To top it off, Mr, Martin goes on to plead IGNORANCE of TENORM, which is dealt with in Texas Brine Waste Disposal Wells in Texas, and yet he has no knowledge of what that is, although in a fact sheet issued to all companies on a yearly basis that have even ancillary issues dealing with the said mined materials.
Anytime human activities allow a build up of naturally occurring radioactive materials, then it is considered TENORM, as explained in the article above with a link to EPA web based documents released to Industry Officials. Texas Brine is a Mining Company, so therefore are recipients of these EPA materials. Essentially, Mr. Bruce Martin is admitting he doesn’t do his job very well, and isn’t qualified as a mining engineer, nor even qualified as a safety director. Quite an admission.
This leads to the Solka Floc slurry system issue and one that is the most disturbing of the documents uncovered, as they pertain to a system of piping between wells and a tank system to slurry any NORM/TENORM materials prior to re-injecting into the wells, essentially ensuring that they would not precipitate to the bottom of the caverns, and possibly eject out into product so that all evidence would be erased that it even existed.
The point here is not so much what Texas Brine wanted, but what then Director of Injection Mining for the State of Louisiana was willing to allow, without any notice whatsoever to the communities surrounding this Salt Dome, and the great lengths Mr. Welsh went to, to stress that it was no big deal… “Do It!” All without any oversight or further reporting, and this from LDEQ and LDNR as well.
The question again remains, what is the disposition of NORM/TENORM precipitated from ALL CAVERNS on the Napoleonville Salt Dome? Where are these vast amounts of radiological materials going? How were they disposed of in the last 50 years? SHOW THE EVIDENCE! NO ONE TRUSTS YOUR WORDS! Again, the People have a right to know!
Source File: Start at Page 176-188 of the Gulf South #1 Well History File.
As a compliment to The Advocate and David Mitchell’s very perceptive writing skills, then I would like to present people with an alternate question.
Is there another cavern at more risk, than others?
Oxy Geismar #1 is the only super shallow brine mined salt cavern within proximity to Oxy Geismar #3, to the failed Texas Brine and owned by, Occidental Chemical Corporation cavern.
Why would it be more at risk? First we have to understand Oxy Geismar #3, it’s depths, dimensions, and width. Oxy Geismar #3 has a top cavern insert depth at 3400 ft. It was 150 ft. across at the top of the cavern. 300′ ft. at the bottom…we think.
Oxy Geismar #1 on the other hand has a top Cavern depth of 2492 ft. and a width of 344 ft. in the northwest directional survey.
If 900′ (previously 875′) feet away at the well head, as reported, then we are left with only 325-400 ft. between the two caverns, at marginally varying depths. The 2010 mill out of Oxy Geismar #3 was at 2350 ft., which struck the fault line in the same general area, causing it to become active, according to the position, and depth revealed in the 2007 Golden Gate/Grand Gulf proprietary 3 D survey. Since it is sitting upon the shale, then it is especially vulnerable to the seismic shaking taking place through the sedimentary rock layers, making the shallow cavern quite vulnerable to these forces.
Oxy Geismar #1 is the same cavern Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources claims was spoken of in a 1995 Sandia Labs report entitled,
Neal, J. T. and T.R. Magorian. April 1995. Geologic Site Characterization (GSC) Principles Derived from Storage and Mining Projects in Salt, With Application to Environmental Surety. SAND95-2400J. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM.
This report clearly speaks of a cavern laying against the shale sheath, as evidenced in the below caption:
Since LDNR claims this is Oxy Geismar #1, and that they had no knowledge of said SANDIA LABS report, then it seems logical that LDNR is accusing Sandia Labs and the two scientist’s of incompetence, for not forwarding this report to their office, for their attention, nor to the industry it involves, such as Salt Cavern Brine Mining, although fully available for any industry at all times, as well as SANDIA LABS working with all governmental authorities regarding local issues concerning the Geo Sciences.
Please LDNR, give us all a break! None are as stupid, or negligent as you claim, with the exception of yourselves, of course.
In a recent Advocate article by David Mitchell, Mark Cartwright, former President of United Brine Services LLC, a subsidiary of Texas Brine LLC, now the Vice-President of Texas Brine LLC, had this to say;
“Texas Brine’s Cartwright said that even after the 2010 study, his company had no reason “whatsoever” to believe the side wall of the cavern would collapse.
And conventional wisdom held that at those depths, about 5,000 feet, any rupture would be contained by the surrounding rock, he said.
“In fact, I think at the end of this process you’re going to see some really interesting papers written by some very smart people that will revolutionize our belief about what can happen deep,” Cartwright said.”
This is an outright lie, as when President of United Brine, Mark Cartwright was the very one that raised the alarm in the first place!
“One obvious concern is the cavern’s proximity to the edge of salt,” Cartwright wrote to DNR’s Joseph “Joe” S. Ball Jr. “There have been several studies in this regard, and Texas Brine has mapped the salt boundary near the cavern applying available well log data, seismic data, and most recently, vertical seismic data gathered during the workover. At this time, a breach out of the salt dome appears possible.”
Ball is the director of the DNR Injection and Mining Division, which oversees salt caverns.
So, United Brine’s President Mark Cartwright spills the beans in no uncertain terms, then gets kicked up the ladder afterwards, and becomes Texas Brine’s Vice-President, and says… “We didn’t have a clue.” I’ll let your own discernment be your guide to the answer.
Is this a common sense approach? Most definitely. Mere supposition at this point would be futile, and counter-productive, and I wish to avoid such interpretation, due to the copius amounts of information now available to so many.
Keep an eye towards Oxy Geismar #1, for it is another engineering disaster waiting to happen.
Coming up next;
Could there be another contributing factor to this disaster as well? Mainly the Hooker Oil Drilling Well #1, just feet away from the Oxy Geismar #3 Salt Cavern, and over a 15 year period depleting the formation at the same depths as the bottom of Oxy Geismar #3.
We shall explore these possibilities in my next article.. Louisiana Sinkhole: Comedy of Errors?
ON AUGUST 12, 2012, TEXAS BRINE SUBMITTED A PLAN THAT STATED A CONTAINMENT BERM/DITCH around the then 2.5 acre Sinkhole. Ever see that happen? At over nine acres, still a containment berm has been unable to be completed before, so why now, after untold environmental damage has been done?
All of the formation waters, hydrocarbons, TDS’s, TDC’s, etc. were allowed to contaminate the surrounding waterways, bayous, and swamps, although TEXAS BRINE proposed the first plan to contain the waters of ‘Lake Oxy 3’ to the Department of Conservation 9 days after the sinkhole formed. We are now at 221 days and counting..
At the bottom of this document is also contained a PLAT map of all OWNERS of the property, and adjacent land owners. OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORP. Owns the land, and the Cavern, (OXY GEISMAR 3), and Texas Brine owns nothing but the casing and operates the well.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Because according to the recent decision of the courts, the OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE for the CAVERN, and not the on-site OPERATOR.
Below is an explanation of how DOW CHEMICAL escaped all liability for the 2003 GULF SOUTH Incident in Grand Bayou. It also serves as the basis for enjoining OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORP. in any lawsuit, and force them to admit ownership.
This is why TEXAS BRINE keeps claiming they ARE NOT responsible. They are just not disclosing the whole truth, and probably never will on their own. My money is on Occidental Chemical Corp. remaining very quite, as they know they are liable and have much deeper pockets than Texas Brine and that scares them to death.
COURT CASE:
“Kirkland’s win in the Dow Chemical matter resolved a high-stakes battle between the company and a Dow lessee’s insurer, Oil Insurance Ltd., and showcased the firm’s methods.
Oil Insurance had sought in a Louisiana trial court subrogated damages from Dow related to the 2003 rupture of an underground gas storage chamber operated under lease from Dow by Gulf South Pipeline LP.
Oil Insurance alleged that Dow was liable because it had constructed the gas well improperly. Gulf South’s cleanup costs and lost profits related to the rupture, which released millions of cubic feet of gas and resulted in the evacuation of the surrounding community, amounted to more than $145 million.
Kirkland stepped in as lead counsel in 2007 on Dow’s behalf and convinced the judge to set up a phased approach, under which the firm proceeded with two attacks on the insurer’s claim that ultimately led to the case’s resolution.
The firm first used discovery to produce key admissions from the insurer’s damage expert, leading the court to scrub some $80 million in damages for a purported failure to present underlying documents.
Kirkland then successfully argued in a summary judgment motion that an additional $30 million chunk of Oil Insurance’s claims should be stricken based on a waiver of subrogation clause.
Having twice sided with Oil Insurance on the issue earlier in the case, the court, which rendered judgment last March, made new Louisiana law for the manner in which it applied the waiver of subrogation to the insurer’s claims.
Following the court’s decision, the parties settled the remaining claims, with Gulf South and Oil Insurance assuming all liability for litigation currently underway with area residents.
Additionally, Dow settled its own claims against Gulf South in a confidential settlement.
I do hope you are now getting the picture. The Courts ruled that since Gulf South was the OPERATOR and that it’s CASING FAILED, and that DOW only owned the property and the actual cavern and it didn’t fail, then GULF SOUTH and OIL INSURANCE were liable.
Applying this Court decision, then conversely, since OCCIDENTAL OWNS Cavern OXY GEISMAR 3, and TEXAS BRINE only operates the well and casing, then OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORP. and it’s INSURANCE COMPANY are the actual LIABLE PARTIES, depending upon whether Texas Brine signed a similar waiver of subrogation.
Also, Texas Brine, because of the 2010 mill out at 2380 ft.-2480 ft., without reliable knowledge from the VSP (performed later the same year), but having Sonar surveys of the Cavern showing the straight line deformation of the shale sheath pressing against the cavern’s bottom 1000 ft., suggesting that not enough salt existed for such a mill out test, and is therefore are liable for this portion of the cavern’s failure.
I know this doesn’t help unless taking on litigation, but it is valuable information in your fight to get relief. Please speak with your Attorneys to check out these important matters, and it’s implications in enjoining Occidental Chemical Corporation as Defendant, with Texas Brine, LLC.
(DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney and my opinions should not be construed as such. Please consult your own attorney for specifics on the value of the information contained within this article.)
Unfortuately, this sensationalised story took the center stage and prevented a much greater understanding of the actual issues at hand. Many speakers gave presentations, and for once the residents of Bayou Corne got far more answers than they were prepared to handle.
Residents were literally diluged with information that took most off-guard, and having to view the videos to get even half the information that was imparted to them. This is truly understandable, considering the months of stone-walling, and jibber-jabber with no real answers. This is not the case now.
Finally an understanding of the Bayou Corne ‘Sinkhole’ may be at hand. Instead of boring you with a run down of each and every presentation right off the bat, let’s just introduce the Presenters, or their affiliations, and their results in a quick nutshell.
First, we had Shaw and the Louisiana Office of Conservation that hired petroleum geophysicist Don Marlin to interpret three-dimensional seismic data that Texas Brine Co. LLC is planning to collect around the sinkhole.
According to the 2007 ‘proprietary 3-D survey’ obtained from Golden Gate Petroleum, the small .3 mile survey was presented as thus:
According to Mr. Marlin, blah, blah, blah. (I can do this, no one can fire me from my own blog) <This view is from the West, as if you were looking at it from Bayou Corne>
(Warning! Author’s informed interpretation and rant follows)
Truth is, this 3-D Survey reveals some very telling details. Although not definitive, it seems the working theory is this: Texas Brine milled out a section around 2350 ft. right on a major fault section closest to the casing, not considering they had very little salt to work with there. The salt is either washed away and damaging the shale formations close to the fault line, or overpumped freshwater in the millout to have accomplished the same thing.
(Start at the 5 Min. mark if it does not go there)
Here, Mr. Gary Hecox admits the geologists of the time thought the salt extended out another 1,000 ft. in 1982, yet fails to mention the voluminous records of SONAR surveys, (latest was 1997), or the Vertical Seismic Profile in 2010, which definitvely showed the cavern laying upon the shale sheath.
(Additionally a lower, lesser fault line is shown and not identified as such further north and under the sinkhole, running along the blade of the knife-looking structure in the graphic.)
This gave the fault the impetus to become active, (meaning fracturing the fault line rock formations), until over a matter of a year and a half; the fault grows bigger as does the mini-quakes, fracturing more rock as it grew, until it essentially shook the shale sheath, (upwards and downwards equally), to pieces and caused the cave in, which in turn took out the remaining shale sheath at depth and cracked the cavern portion that was known to be laying entirely on the shale rock sheath, and this caused the frack out.
This reached to a depth of about 6000 ft. since the overburden pressures caused a momentary pressure of over 7,000 psi. It was a mighty geological explosion, as evidenced by it clearing a path to the surface, and the sinkhole culminating outside the salt dome. Most sinkholes have occured over the top of salt domes, so this is truly a geological first, and at the same level of the oil, gas, and water formations that were pressuring the shale sheath from the west side. A fact known since 2007 by LDNR, Texas Brine, and by the owner of the property, Occidental Chemical Corp.
This information should have been known months ago. The 3 D survey would have shown it just as well then, if not for Golden Gates ‘Proprietary’ legalese. In an emergency situation, nothing should be held up for months over ‘proprietary’ concerns.
Also looking at the depth of the hydrocarbon formations, then there are many culprits at varying depths, but since Oxy 3A is still producing hydrocarbons, then we do know it is at depths greater than 3700 ft. in that area. What is not known is essentially whether the uppermost formation is feeding the sinkhole or not..
(DISCLAIMER: End of Author’s interpretation and rant. This is not to be construed as what Mr. Marlin actually stated, but the inference thereof)
Actually Mr. Marlin was a fount of information, as he informs the audience of the 3-D survey showing a depleted hydrocarbon formation that was drilled into and produced for 15 years, (UPDATE BELOW VIDEO), but the wellbore to this depleted formation is very apparent and clear. Also near the end of his presentation, he is able to describe the salt wall almost to a tee, as it was in 2007. Valuable information indeed. Please watch this short video, as it lends much to the reader’s understanding of the geology of the region.
UPDATE:
Upon further investigation, this tells a very sordid story of Hooker #1 Oil Well. A drama in and of itself.
The well was first drilled and completed in 1986 and was a 6300 ft. borehole down to the depleted formation shown in the 2007 3-D survey.
It changed hands a few times until Energy Self Service Oils, Baton Rouge, La. took it over in 2006, then sometime between then and Feb. 2009, just up and walked off.
Orphaned without a word to anyone. The state had to come in and P&A the well themselves in 5/12/2010. This was an open well, a fire hazard on the surface and right next door to the Oxy #3 cavern and at the same depths, Unreal.
This depletion of this formation right next door to Oxy 3 and the salt dome may have had a role to play in all of this. Just absolutely mind-blowing the level of irresponsibility, and a “I don’t give a damn,” attitude.
The next Presenter was ITASCA, and Dr. Pettitt, who explains the rock fracture zone that is building up gases until they overwhelm the fractured rock voids and released in the ‘burps’, and then sucks back down water. He cannot actually explain the process, as it is unique in the world of geology. He also admits not knowing the size, nor shape of the ‘disturbed rock zone’ nor what effects it may be having upon the Salt Dome wall.
Although ominous, so far the closest cavern (Oxy #2) is holding it’s integrity, and while the diesel blanket was being replaced to protect the top of the Oxy #2 cavern ceiling on January 19th, no activity was recorded in the cavern during these two seismic events. Although only 370 ft. east, it seems that Oxy #2 showed no signs at all of losing integrity. Good news indeed.
He also explains in detail the seismic readings, which I won’t go into here, but if interested, watch Part 10 at Assumptionla You Tube page:
Next up, was Dr. Gary Hecox, and we have already touched upon what he had to say, but he did give a grim report to the residents regarding gas vent wells in the community. Many of these wells and the intendant piping may well become a permanent fixture, yet he did hold out some hope that the new 3-D seismic survey will identify the formation responsible for the methane gas, and that if so, a well could be drilled to depth and release the pressures long before they reach the aquifer or the resident’s community.
Once again, and pulling no punches, Mr. Hecox stated that all the Bayou Corne homes should be evacuated. The Evacuation Order was appropriate. This should be latched onto by the media and residents, and put forth to Texas Brine and Occidental Chemical Corporation, as well as Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources to provide the necessary funds to accomplish this objective and buy-outs made available to those that wish to do move on with their lives.
In a very shocking statement, Mr. Hecox admits, they all were in error by trusting the PDK logs to detect gas in the larger water well’s casings and multiple casings, (PDK: An electronic neutron generator in the tool produces pulses of neutrons which spread into the borehole and formation.)
Now, the spread and extent of the methane gas eastwards is in question, and another tool to detect the gas must be found. This is an astounding admission, and Mr. Hecox should be thanked for his honesty and integrity, to be able to admit his own limitations. To address this new issue, a Dr. Charles Faust of Tetra-Tech, is being brought in to develop a better gas mitigation model. This seems apropo in this ‘Faustian environment’.
Also disclosed, and as reported by this blog, two events actually happened on January 19th, 2013. While officials at the time claimed the seismic activity immediately abated after the ten a.m. event that displaced 15,000 cubic feet of water down the sinkhole funnel and into the unknown voids below, but also that there was a second six p.m. event that was much larger and displaced over 40,000 cubic feet of water for a total of 55,000 cubic feet of water that was sucked under the earth as methane gas escaped to the surface, presumably an equal amount, yet that would be inaccurate as it seems the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer sands and gravel broke up the gas bubble and diluted it among the aquifer itself, and shunting the most part of the methane under the community and subdivision itself, via the aquifer. How far east is still unanswered.
This is pretty much a run down of the whole meeting, except for resident’s questions, and they are very important questions that I would highly recommend that you watch.
That being said, the residents were very inquisitive about the new gas wells going into the subdivision, and were pretty vocal about it. To the point that Mr. Hecox was struck speechless twice. Several voiced they did not want them in their front or backyards, and if they affected an area 500ft. square, then put them at the land boundries.
Finally one resident, who was very bright, suggested the usage of Four wells out in the swamps and using a steerable bore drill to alleviate the pressures without all the mini wells and piping. It is a non-invasive solution. It is one that Oxy and TB will not want to pay for, but the issue can be forced if no one signs the releases and allows all the tiny wells to go in. However, this will not stop Texas Brine from drilling at all the land boundries, and ignoring the resident’s wishes, while looking and pressuring for that one or two, that will allow vent wells in the middle of the subdivision. That would negate the need for Horizontal Wells, and completely ignore resident’s concerns. As we all know, that seems to be Texas Brine’s style.
Yet, If the Resident’s calmly state their case and even in writing, explaining that the technology Dr. Hecox stated in this video is available and that this non-invasive method is best. Horizontal relief wells are available, but they won’t be, if the residents sign away their rights and Texas Brine, Occidental Chemical Corp. and LDNR’s liability.
There was good news, and bad news, but for the first time, we all have some news.
Everything everybody thought they knew about the Louisiana Sinkhole changed with the latest ‘Belch’ event on January 19th, 2013, for the geology that existed prior, no longer exists.
This is a whole new animal we are now dealing with. With an overburden of water, the combination of the ‘thumper trucks’ performing a Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) for the five days prior, and then Friday the ‘T-Rex’ Tri-Axial set off a chain of events, that has moved around the rock structures, and allowed new migration zones for the formation gas, and even the bedded gas from the salt edge, (whatever is left of it at the top), and that the prior VSP readings are now completely useless.
If ‘Officials’ had backed off when they noticed the seismic events, and the casing pressure rising at the Oxy 3A OBW to over 923 psig, then the event would have settled within days. Instead they kept it up, then proceeded to finish it off with the T-Rex tri-axial array, and render any and all readings taken to date useless.
Nothing is the same underneath this disaster area as it was. If this had been performed in September, then this whole situation may have been mitigated by now.
“Hoffpauir, a technical staff associate with the University of Texas’ Geotechnical Engineering Program, said the diesel-powered T-Rex, which has 6-feet tall wheels, can send seismic waves into the ground in three dimensions, or tri-axially, from a central vibrating plate.
“It’s the only one in the United States” that can do that, Hoffpauir said.”
And;
“The waves started at a low frequency and quickly picked up speed, sounding something like a car engine revving from low to high revolutions. From behind the well, mild vibrations could be felt in the earth at the lowest frequencies but they dissipated at the highest frequencies.”
That is precisely how you set up resonance, and this after, five days of; “A less versatile type of vibroseis truck, called a thumper truck, was used recently, Texas Brine officials said.”
“Texas Brine plans to do the most intensive seismic testing of all, 3-D seismic tests across a swath of the Bayou Corne area next month.
Expected to deliver a picture 7,000 feet deep, these tests may show whether any feared voids exist underground and the location of oil and gas traps.”
What form of 3-D testing or with what tools is not being disclosed at this time.
As this author reported on various websites on January 20, 2013;
Well venting gas is beyond belief in its surge! Low Pressure, high volume.
This also means there was extensive rock and possibly salt movement during this ‘belch’. It’s found a new path for the gas to migrate. Lots of rocks have shifted and changed position. This is not good news for the Crosstex Cavern 2.
More rock movements are being shown on all borehole heli’s and this event is not over. It is building up for another event…mark my words. This was not a burp, it was a belch and did a lot of damage. I would not be surprised if the salt is now laying twenty to thirty yards further west now and brining out, taking with it a good portion of the stability of the west side of the dome.
Many were claiming it was impossible that the Vertical Seismic Profile, along with the overburden of water over the thin layer of soils and claytard, to be causing the seismic activity that I based my earlier warnings upon.
Seems Dr. Stephen Horton, with the University of Memphis doesn’t agree with the naysayers.
“Recent seismic activity is possibly contributable to VSP activity or the unusually high water, according to Dr. Horton (1/16/13)”
Seismic Visual of the Event on January 19th, 2013 from Helicorder LA08.
AUTHOR’S THEORY:
Many questions have arisen as to why it was vital months ago to find out what the water flow rates were and what path it had taken. If there was just one water source in, then it would just brine an area out, no big deal. That does not seem to be the case here. Allow me to postulate..
First, we have the fracked out cavern full of brine spilling outwards towards the formation waters that is pushed upwards under 7-9000 ft. of overburden pressures, which dilutes the brine and pushes it with ever increasing frequency back towards the breached cavern zone.. Once brined out the pressures force the Formation Waters upwards and eroding the Salt Flank in pockets.. how far? We don’t know.
Then we have the subsidence area that has punctured into the aquifer, and a blowout of the bottom of the aquifer where the caprock broke off is just about a certainty, or there would be no communication with the oil formation, gas, and waters below, nor would methane be able to swell the aquifer.
So we have infiltration from the top of the salt rock from the bottom of the aquifer and under a part of the caprock, (entry from the broken section of caprock), which is most likely brining out into the voids, allowing fractures and large pieces of salt rock to continue breaking off and tumbling below. This in turn gives more space for the waters to continue eastward infiltration and salt rock fractures.
Evidence for this is shown by the recent cracking of the Oxy 3 Well Pad. So, we have infiltration from above, the west side flank, and beneath, with crushed rock and liquids banging around and changing the geology daily.
So, high pressure liquids underneath, pressuring upwards on the sides, and overburden pressures squeezing the aquifer where the caprock broke off, and nothing but water saturating the whole of the overburden that could easily be migrating into these fractures from above the aquifer and any other damaged sections around these cavern wellheads causing salt blowouts in-between.
Remember the funnel of Lake Oxy 3 is determined by nothing but natural materials and fill, and not by a Cement Casing as a Well is…. Make your own mind up, but I believe this theory will be borne out by the surveys they will never allow us to see, at least not in a timely fashion.
TECHNOLOGY:
Many of these questions could easily have been answered early on by using a very well known tool and just what Representative Joe Harrison, (La. District 51), was stating at the November 08, 2012 Residents Meeting.
Louisiana State Representative Joe Harrison:
“I’m gonna tell you something, the infrared satellite vision that they have, these things can tell you more than you ever imagined. I learned a lot about that during the BP thing. At the base where they’re at, they can tell you more things and actual chemical compound makeups with their equipment than I ever imagined they could. And they’re doing that right now, it’s being monitored.”
Resident 1: They’re doing it through infrared?
Harrison: Yes ma’am they’re just not giving us the information.
Resident 2: Who is they?
Harrison: The federal government […] This thing just seems to escalate […] They need somebody to tie it all together […] It needs to be declared a disaster. Once it’s declared a disaster, a whole new set of rules and regulations are enforced. […]”
What I truly believe Rep. Harrison was talking about is a very well known technology called radar interferometry taken by the VHP Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), you can learn all about it here:
InSAR’s monitors ground deformation, as well as ground based technology, taking gravity measurements using a Scintrex CG-5 gravimeter, such as those used just after the dramatic slough in of the Daisetta, Texas, May 7, 2008 Sinkhole. (Footnote: 1)
There are many such technologies available that can give the residents and the rest of the Public some much needed answers about the voids underneath, and the topography and low level subsidence over the whole of the salt dome.
Yet, it’s the methane, total dissolved solids, total dissolved chlorides and methane bearing waters with hydrocarbons that are being transmitted all over the area, and all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico, that makes this a National Emergency, and a tragedy, ecologically, environmentally, as well as the human toll upon people West, East, and South, of Bayou Corne that are being poisoned even as we speak.
It is time for answers, and since that cannot be achieved at the State level and it has been shown that this local disaster clearly qualifies as a Federal Disaster Area, then Public pressure needs to bear down upon ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, until such an emergency is declared.
It is time for this farce to end.
Footnote 1:
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS OF SUBSIDENCE, COLLAPSE, AND POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE DAISETTA SINKHOLE, LIBERTY COUNTY, TEXAS
Baker Atlas conducted a Checkshot Survey and an Offset VSP Survey for Texas Brine Company Ltd. in the well Oxy Geismar 3, located in the Grand Bayou field, Assumption Parish, Louisiana. The objectives of the surveys were to:
Measure time-depth information
Image the salt flank
At the time of the survey, the well had been flushed to create a cavern below 3400ft. The surveys were performed in the borehole above this depth. A sketch of the well and possible salt location is shown as Figure 3. All measured depths are referenced to Ground Level. The well is considered vertical.
The survey began at 9:52 hrs on September 25, 2010 and was finished at 10:49 hrs on September 26th, 2010.
A vibrator source was used for the surveys. One vibrator was positioned 123 ft. from the wellhead at an azimuth of 77 degrees for the checkshot survey and then two vibrators were located 3062 ft. from wellhead at an azimuth of 112 degrees for the Offset VSP survey.
A 6204XB 3-component downhole receiver was used to record the survey.
This is how they perform a VSP.
and this is the final report regarding the Oxy 3 Cavern in 2010.
Take Note, the “B” line is the 3D Seismic Pick.
Any Questions?
The full Vertical Seismic Profile can be found at:
This is the history of the salt cavern. Please take notice of when most were published by the Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources. After the Stinkhole formed!
Even earlier SONAR scans show the bottom 1000 ft. of the cavern was compromised as shown by the almost perfect straight line, demonstrating that section was pressed against the shale sheath at the time. It would be interesting to have the drawdown records of the dates after these SONAR surveys.
SONAR Survey of Cavern 10 /06/2007, Pages 49-50 (Notice the straight line deformation showing bottom of cavern pressing against the Shale Sheath, and the Horizontal Slices show even better detail of this)
Regardless, these surveys do constitute proof that LDNR and Texas Brine both were complicit in a cover up of the gravity of the situation, years prior to the August 3rd, 2012 failure of Oxy 3 Salt Cavern.
Now we know how Mr. Hecox could honestly say, “There has been a Frack Out of the cavern.”
“Frack Out” is a term used to describe an over-pressure of fluid that overwhelms the medium within which it operates, or a failure of the medium itself, due to invasive enviromental or man-made factors.
Now new information has come in from EMILY (Hat tip back at ya), over at flutrackers, showing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hooker #8, (later Vulcan #3, then OXY #3), was sitting upon the shale sheath back in 1995. OXY#3 is the only cavern against the Sheath. It is the furthest westward cavern shown by it’s coordinates. Texas Brine continued to operate this cavern at a lesser capacity for 14 years, then plugged and abandoned it, until the pressures built to a point where it ‘fracked out’ and blew away the shale sheath that had held the bottom of the cavern in for so many years.
Source: Neal, J. T. and T.R. Magorian. April 1995. Geologic Site Characterization (GSC) Principles Derived from Storage and Mining Projects in Salt, With Application to Environmental Surety. SAND95-2400J. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM.
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As for this 1995 paper, this speaks of Oxy 3, as is shown by coordinates of it being the westernmost cavern in the Salt Dome. The last 500 ft. at the time, showed the straight line deformation of where the cavern had been miscalculated and was now resting upon the shale sheath, which is all that held containment at the time.
<SONAR Survey and VSP shown above.>
What was not taken into account was two-fold, first Texas Brine did not take into account was the effects of drawdowns, as this would widen the area against the sheath that was bereft of salt. This finally left about the deepest 1000 ft. (4500-5500 ft.) of the cavern and the contents and pressures sitting on the actual shale sheath itself from the inside.
The second thing not taken into consideration was that salt creeps. When a cavern is filled it is under pressure, plus the weight of the overburden, and when it is drawndown then the salt creeps back in with the difference in temps and pressures. In a very real way, it can be stated a salt cavern functions similar to a lung. This is due to the plasticity of salt rock. Shale has no such elasticity. It can only take so much in the way of pressure, and then it fractures, just as a rib would do in the human body.
Now, add to this that Big Hum, Marg Vag and all the oil and gas and water formation sands were pressing from the outside of the Salt Dome and pinching up against the very same shale sheath that was dealing with the cavern pressures, in almost the exact same spots but from opposing sides. When this shale sheath finally fractured, it was a mighty geologic explosion 4500-5500 ft. down. Enough of one to fracture the shale and other materials all the way to the surface, and to 6500 ft. depth.
Every bit of this was known by LDNR and Texas Brine long before the mill out that failed the MIT test, and they Plugged and Abandoned Oxy #3.
If they had drawndown the cavern one last time and Cemented the bottom 1000 ft.. then pumped back the brine and P&A’d the cavern, then this probably would not have ever happened. Due to the costs, they chose not to. LDNR knew this as well, even about the oil sands pressing against the shale sheath and cavern, due to their accessibility to Golden Gate’s proprietary 3-D 2007 survey, that no one else has been allowed to see.
I wonder what Texas Brine thinks about the cost of that cementing job now?
NEW UPDATE! Now LDNR claims, as well as SANDIA LABS, that they were referring to OXY GEISMAR #1, in the 1995 paper that produced the graphic above. This is the NEXT MOST SHALLOW SALT DOME CAVERN in the NAPOLEONVILLE SALT DOME, and was created in 1976, SN# 151645 and was known to be sitting on a SHALE INTRUSION in the Salt Dome. It was drilled to a depth of 3200 ft, ceiling of 2500 ft.and then cemented up to support a Salt Cavern. SONAR surveys of 9/20/2012 show the true deformations, and the shallow wide volumes of this very shallow 750 ft. in height cavern, mined more horizontinally, than vertically.
The flat surface is the SHALE INTRUSION INTO THE SALT DOME, and please take note LDNR knew this, and permitted it still, knowing it lay at the edge of the Salt, and on SHALE!
Another Cavern bearing the Occidental name is another former Texas Brine Well #1 SN# 109979 and is just on the East side of Grand Bayou, (across from the Crosstex #1 Cavern with butane within), and is the most deformed Cavern at Napoleonville Salt Dome, and both appear to be setting upon Shale intrusions. Take note of the dogleg cemented at the bottom and the flat shale/salt rock it sits upon as well. Very confusing data……
Take Note of the Cement Wedge at the bottom, but there is more;
This Well is currently undergoing a workover and was found to have an anomaly in the casing at 670 ft. This is just below the caprock where it enters the salt. Any anomoly could be indicative of salt rock movement, yet no details of this anomoly has been forthcoming. The flat bottom shown is the shale/salt rock, and the dogleg is the Cementing job. Texas Brine could find the money for cementing both these shallow and potentially dangerously hollow spaces on the edge and one definitely sitting upon the Shale, yet could not spare a dime to cement the bottom of Oxy #3, since it was no longer useful to their interests.
OXY GEISMAR # 1 is in danger of failure, (First two pictures shown above), due to the shallowness of it’s depths, and the width mined outwards at the top. If it is truly a brined out well at the end of its usefulness as of 2011, then why was it not plugged and abandoned?
Oxy Geismar BW#1 is being used for seismic surveying at this time, is wide open, and a geo-string has been inserted into its casing for the 3D seismic survey..
(DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney and my opinions should not be construed as such. Please consult your own attorney for specifics on the value of the information contained within this article.)
IMHO, No more proof is needed, but of course we shall keep building a case. The resident’s and their lawyers can now make the call as to whether to proceed with actions against Texas Brine, and the State of Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources for Willful Neglect and Harm, with Malice Aforethought, and a host of other criminal and civil charges.
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freedomrox 
