I work with a guy that lives near bayou corn and said that a salt dome collapsed and it was filled with brine . He said big 70' cypress trees have fallen in the bayou from the collapsed salt dome . I guess the brine could kill all the fresh water vegetation in the area ?The bad thing is there are gas pipe lines running all through the area . That was the reason for the evacuations . Just a bad situation all the way around .

Thanks Choupic. Knew all that, I was wondering how close the sinkhole is to Corne and Grand and can it leak into the bayous?

some of the salt domes used by oil and chemical companies to store hydrocarbon products are massive and could swollow whole towns many trees and massive amounts of water. Probably all the damage is already done as the dome is probable full now, salt water is very dense and would settle to the bottom of the dome and the fresh water to the top.

Good point deerman. Guess I forgot some of my basic high school science.

I wouldn't say the damage is done ... You still have the gas lines to contend with . Nobody really knows the extent of the damage . I don't know how they intend on checking all that out but it's not going to be an easy task .

Google Earth Map of Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne

Grand Bayou Sinkhole off Hwy 70

Closer View of Sinkhole

Gentlemen, some of these salt domes are as large as 5 million barrels (260 million gallons). I grew up in Grand Bayou many years ago. I did a 'Google Earth' map search of the area. The sinkhole just about 1 mile past Grand Bayou is on the left side of Hwy 70 as you drive to Bayou Corne. What is frightening about all this is that my Google Earth shows the sinkhole to be only 630 yards away from Chevron's HUGE salt dome in which they store several million gallons of natural gas. It is also only 930 yards from the nearest home in Bayou Corne and 1,400 yards from the boat launch at Bayou Corne. Natural gas continues to bubble in both Grand Bayou and Bayou Corne.

Stop and think about the 'worse case scenario' should the sinkhole grow a lot larger (which Texas Brine, the owner of the dome below the sinkhole says cannot be discounted) and if the sinkhole fractures the Chevron dome gas storage and starts leaking gas to the surface, this could turn into a CATASTROPHE! Natural gas, and for that matter, all the light hydrocarbons stored in these salt domes (ethane, ethylene, propane, butane) are heavier than air and would lay down in a huge cloud on the ground. When an ignition source is found, it could trigger a HUGE vapor cloud explosion which could damage homes many, many miles away. Keep in mind that this is the 'worse case'.

There are over 50 salt domes in the Grand Bayou area from which salt is mined and brought to the surface as salt water or 'brine' which is sold to chemical companies to make caustic and chlorine, which are used extensively in the chemical industry. Texas Brine obtained a DNR permit and closed the dome below the sinkhole in 2011 by filling it with brine water. When these domes are drilled, they inject diesel into the dome early in the excavation process as it floats on the brine layer and stops 'leaching' on the top of the dome to prevent it from damaging the top of the dome.

Here's the link to two articles on the sinkhole issue on the Baton Rouge Advocate on-line:

http://theadvocate.com/news/3566705-123/cavern-tied-to-sinkhole


http://theadvocate.com/home/3580029-125/dome-issues-kept-quiet


'Pete'

See the Google Earth Sink Hole in the Pic Below

Here's an updated article on the Grand Bayou sink hole in the Napoleonville Salt Dome that appeared in the Baton Rouge Advocate today.......DNR was asked by Assumption Parish officials to test the sinkhole for radio active materials........here's the link:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3589330-125/deq-no-radioactive-readings-at

'Pete'

Thanks Pete. That report at least, is good news. The worse case scenario makes for a pretty scary situation.

Another Update on the 'Sink Hole' Mess
An update article on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne 'sink hole' issue........Texas Brine is setting up a fund to help Bayou Corne residents who were forced to evacuate. The State DNR is forcing Texas Brine to drill another well near the sink hole to learn what is happening there.......

http://theadvocate.com/home/3609039-125/fund-created-to-help-assumptions

Here is another article from the Baton Rouge Advocate that is posted '8/13/12' describing the drilling of a new well be Texas Brine:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3616730-125/relief-well-to-examine-cavern


Does not appear there is an end in site in the immediate future on this mess.

'Pete'

Sink Hole Update - Texas Brine Permitted to Drill
Here is another update on the sink hole issue. The owner of the failed salt dome cavern and 'sink hole', Texas Brine has obtained a permit from the State and has selected a contractor to bore a new well near the sinkhole to attempt to learn what is happening in the old dome that has apparently caused this sink hole.

=========================================

http://theadvocate.com/home/3623924-125/relief-well-permit-granted

'Pete'

Another newspaper report on the status of the drilling rig which is to drill a new well near the sinkhole in an effort to learn what may have caused this problem:


http://theadvocate.com/home/3642925-125/drilling-rig-parts-arrive-at

'Pete'

Brine domes and petro storage domes have different regualations as far as depth and wall structure. Brine domes can be shallow and have significantly thinner wall structure than petro storage domes due to fact that brine in general has a less significant impact on our environment in case of issues such as this one. Im certain the petro storage domes in the area(Cheveron) are much deeper and have greater wall and dome top integrity and are far from being compromised in this situation. Petro domes are also monitored by their proprietor and have to be documented and turned into the dept. of interior on a monthly basis. Pressure, level, temperature fluctuations are monitored hourly and you can bet the government is combing thru that data to look for anomalies that may have happened at the time of collapse and monitoring minute by minute since then.

Wow ! Incredible man . You know in bayou corne that isn't the worst case scenario .

...remember Atlantis ???

The 'sink hole' had another collapse Thursday morning......it is growing in size. The article says it currently does not pose a danger to the 'HUGE' CrossTex Energy of Texas storage dome only 625 yards away, containing 48 MILLON gallons of liquid butane according to the article! This is 'way more' than I thought was in this dome storage! If the sink hole continues to grow and threatens the itegrity of the Chevron natural gas dome, this could turn out to be a 'Huge Catastrophy'.

Here's the link to the most recent update:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3651200-125/texas-brine-offers-residents-checks

'Pete'

Here's another update on the Grand Bayou sink hole. Texas Brine has started paying people who live in Bayou Corne and were forced to evacuate. The payments are intended to cover their living expenses while away from their homes.

Also, the rig which is to drill another well near the sink hole to attempt to determine the cause of the sink hole is ready to start drilling today.

http://theadvocate.com/home/3658796-125/assistance-check

'Pete'

Crosstex Energy, which has 94,000 barrels (48.8 million gallons) of butane stored in a salt dome only 1,500 feet away from the sink hole is planning to start moving the butane to a currently empty dome jug 2,500 feet away from the sink hole, due to community concerns. I am VERY glad to hear that Crosstex is doing this. I think it is in the right direction to avert a potentially EXTREMELY serious situation should the sink hole continue to grow, possibly threatening the integrity of this HUGE butane storage dome. What I have feared the most from this mess is the risk of the sink hole damaging the integrity of the nearby huge butane jug. Should that happen, and butane begin to escape to the surface, it would have the potential for a HUGE CATASTROPHIC EVENT! I have worked in the oil and petrochemical industry for over 32 years before retirement. I've seen several vapor cloud explosions during my career. The damage such an explosion could create is HUGE. With the volume of butane in this jug, should it begin leaking, it could potentially create a vapor cloud explosion that could affect communities for many, many miles away, and burn uncontrolled for weeks to months before emptying the jug should Crosstex not be able to somehow transfer it elsewhere. I'm not trying to scare readers, and while this scenario I just described is a 'WORST CASE' one, it is not out of the realm of possibilities. That is why I am VERY pleased with Crosstex's decision to move the butane further away from the sink hole. I think that decision greatly reduces the risk of the the 'worst case' scenario I just described. Here's the article from the Baton Rouge Advocate dated today (8/19/12):

http://theadvocate.com/home/3671799-125/crosstex-plans-to-transfer-butane

'Pete'

Yet another article on the 'sink hole' near Grand Bayou and Bayou Corne in Assumption...this time from the N.O. Times Picayune. This story recently made national news also. The new well being drilled by Texas Brine to attempt to assess the condition of the salt dome well believe to have started the sinkhole began over the weekend and they claim it will take approx 40 days to complete. The residents of Bayou Corne are given no idea when they will be able to return to their homes. The 'saga' continues. Here's the link to the article:

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/08/sinkhole_neighbors_dont_know_w.html#incart_river_default

And, here's another article from this morning's Baton Rouge Morning Advocate..........

http://theadvocate.com/home/3676816-125/crews-finish-phase-of-work

'Pete'

A new update on the sinkhole and new information that seems to suggest that the abandoned Texas Brine sale dome adjacent to the sinkhole may in fact be the cause of the sink hole. The LADEQ took samples of the water in the sink hole a month or so ago and are now reporting that the salinity in their samples goes up sharply as the depth increases. In fact, at some depth, the salinity of liquid in the sink hole was higher than the water in the Gulf of Mexico.....STRONGLY suggesting that the adjacent salt dome may in fact have collapsed or failed and allow the high salinity water from inside the dome to escape into adjacent marsh and causing the sink hole... additional test and the new well being drilled to determine the condition of this abandoned cavern will likely tell 'the rest of the story'! Here is the link the new update:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3686299-125/tests-salt-water-runs-deep

'Pete'

The evidence seems to be growing that the abandoned salt some next to the sinkhole most likely collapsed and the high salinity salt water inside escaped into the adjacent marsh. Samples by LADEQ inside the sinkhole at various depths show that the deeper they sampled the higher salinity was and at the deepest point they sampled, the salinity was much higher than the Gulf of Mexico.

Here's the latest article:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3728586-125/crews-to-resume-drilling-on

'Pete'

Been following this too. Thanks for keeping us updated Pete.

been working these storge well or salt domes for awhile now their are normaly drilled to adepth of 3500ft/4000ft and are shaped like a pear when done are normaly 300yds wide at the widest point their drilling a relief well now 1000ft from sink hole theyll end up sealing the cavern up

'Gogetter', how would they seal it? When they abandoned it last year or year before, they filled it with brine. It is believed that this cavern was drilled too close to the edge of the salt dome and the wall fractures, allowing it's brine water contents into the marsh, creating the sinkhole.

'Pete'

Here's an update on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne 'Sinkhole'.........they now plan on drilling a 2nd well to serve as a vent to see if natural gas is in fact accumulating in the abandoned well.

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/09/wells_planned_to_learn_more_ab.html

'Pete'

Yet another update on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne sink hole. The LA Conservation Commission is getting tough on all companies operating in the 'Napoleonville' salt dome........here's the article:

Louisiana Conservation Commissioner James Welsh on Friday ordered the seven companies operating on the Napoleonville Dome in Assumption Parish to determine if natural gas is contained in the groundwater and the salt dome caprock beneath their installations.

Welsh directed the companies to capture, vent or flare any gas that is found and analyze potential effects on groundwater in the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources officials said in a news release.

The new work was called for after DNR had directed Texas Brine Co. of Houston to drill an investigatory well to see whether its abandoned salt cavern inside the salt dome is the cause of a large sinkhole that formed on company property located between the Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou communities.

Read the full article here:

http://theadvocate.com/news/3897904-123/state-orders-search-for-natural

'Pete'

Another update on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne sinkhole. The evacuated people of Bayou Corne are becoming restless claiming they are not being kept up to date.

Meanwhile, sinkhole, continued to grow slightly on Tuesday. Cranch (of Texas Brine) said a portion of soil “on the western edge of the sinkhole that was a couple of feet wide and roughly 200 feet long” sloughed into the sinkhole along with a tree either late Monday or early Tuesday.
It was the second time in three days that land disappeared into the sinkhole after a section of land 20 feet long by 20 feet wide, along with a tree, fell in on Sunday, Cranch said.

Here's the link to the full article:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3929355-125/residents-hope-for-answers

'Pete'

New Update on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne sinkhole drama:

The Texas Brine drilling company has completed their drill into the top of the salt dome adjacent to the sinkhole.

'Crews drilling a well that will be used to examine a failed salt cavern believed to have caused the massive sinkhole in Assumption Parish reached the deep cavern’s roof Saturday night after a delay caused by equipment failure Friday, officials said'.

Read the full article here:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3962968-125/crews-breach-cavern-roof-begin

The drilling rig has completed drilling into the salt dome that is believed to have collapsed. Testing revealed that the dome is not nearly as deep as it was when Texas Brine abandoned it a few years ago, indicating that it has apparently collapsed. Now, the Texas Brine folks are of the belief that the 'tremors' that have been happening in the area for the past year or so was what caused the salt dome to collapse. State and Parish officials don't agree. Who knows where this is going??

Read latest article here:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3985701-125/parish-officials-question-findings-by

'Pete'

Latest on 'sinkhole'.....it continues to get larger!

No telling how much larger this sinkhole will get. It is now caving in at a location that it has not done before. Parish is also now reporting gas bubbling at a location it had not been seen before.


Link to latest article:

http://theadvocate.com/home/3994480-125/more-land-at-sinkhole-falls

'Pete'

Yet another article on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne sinkhole. This one has a good picture of the salt dome and sinkhole:

'Pete'
===========================

Assumption Parish sinkhole expands, swallowing trees and roadway September 26, 2012 at 9:00 PM, updated September 26, 2012 at 9:08 PM

Officials say the sinkhole in Assumption Parish has swallowed up more trees and part of a road built to expedite cleanup activities as it continues to expand. Officials at the Assumption Parish Police Jury said Wednesday there was a 30- by 50-foot slough into the southeast side of the hole overnight. The bog had never sloughed in that area before, officials say.

Experts say the sloughing in is expected. Last month, the sinkhole grew by 50 feet when the surrounding environment fell in, taking a boat with it. Two cleanup workers almost fell in and cleanup activities were suspended. A failed underground brine cavern encased within a mountain of salt is believed to have caused the sinkhole, which appeared Aug. 3.

Gas bubbling now being found in Bayou Pierre Part while Louisiana DNR continues to explore the sinkhole and the source of natural gas.

Read full store here:

http://theadvocate.com/home/4070183-125/drilling-to-remove-gas-near

'Pete'

500 feet more ground and some trees caved in today.

More land swallowed by sinkhole and wells drilled to see if 'natural gas' is present show that there is natural gas below ground. It will be vented and burned off.

It is also becoming fairly obvious that the abandoned salt dome caused the sinkhole, which many suspected all along.

Here's the link to the latest information:

http://theadvocate.com/home/4107882-125/another-chunk-of-land-falls

'Pete'

The residents of Bayou Corne, who were forced to evacuate their homes for over 72 days now, are becoming more and more concerned if they will EVER be able to return to their homes. It would not be surprising to me if Texas Brine could become forced to purchase all these homes before this situation is over. That's what happened in Grand Bayou, just before Grand Bayou about 10+ years ago when a leak in another salt dome cause gas bubbling up all around this small town (where I grew up).

Here's the link to the latest article:

http://theadvocate.com/home/4142733-125/displacedresidents-question-area-safety

'Pete'

thanks for the update pete, dont know if you noticed but this forum was closed down over 2 weeks ago. only the ''inshore fishing'' forum can new threads still be posted in but the ones here do still let you add comments

No, Keaker, I was NOT aware that this general Fishing Forum was closed. Was this announced that I missed it?

Thanks for letting me know.

'Pete'

The latest news about the 'Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne' sinkhole keeps getting worse. There is concern now that more sinkholes may show up. Here's the latest article:

http://theadvocate.com/home/4209995-125/officials-math-doesnt-work-end

And, there does not appear to be an end in sight for the 150 families that were forced to evacuate!


'Pete'

It's been awhile since I've posted updates on the Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne issue. Residents have been out of their homes for 3 1/2 months now and are getting more and more restless and angry. Many have joined a lawsuit against Texas Brine. I suspect that Texas Brine will eventually have to buy all the homes in Bayou Corne, like another gas company had to do in Grand Bayou about 2-3 years ago.

I'm not sure if fishermen are allowed to launch their boats at the Bayou Corne launch or not.

Here's the latest update:

http://theadvocate.com/home/4425700-125/homes-near-sinkhole-must-be

'Pete'

Here's an article from a national news website about the 'Grand Bayou/Bayou Corne' sinkhole. If you were not aware, a few of the gas flares that Texas Brine was required to install surrounding the sinkhole to burn off the natural gas that is underground, was found to contain Hydrogen Sulfide (VERY toxic even in very low concentrations)from some of the flares last week. There does not seem to be an end in sight for this mess. It is now going on 4 months that over 150 families in the Bayou Corne area were forced to leave their homes. They are getting very restless and several major lawsuits against Texas Brine were started.

Here's the article:

WHEN THE EARTH MOVES
'MONSTER SINKHOLE SPARKS CATASTROPHE WORRIES'
Acres of forest swallowed up, while residents fear gas explosion

by STEVE ELWARTEmail |
Steve Elwart, P.E., Ph.D., is the executive research analyst with the Koinonia Institute and a subject matter expert.


Southern Louisiana is in danger of experiencing an environmental calamity rivaling the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, thanks to a massive, expanding sinkhole that is gobbling up the forest and lighting up YouTube with videos of this startling phenomenon.

In southern Louisiana, about 40 miles south of Baton Rouge in Assumption Parish, is the town of Bayou Corne. The town is in the middle of the oil rich area of the coastal United States and is near the nation’s Strategic Oil Reserve.

(Read full article here: http://www.wnd.com/2012/11/monster-sinkhole-sparks-catastrophe-worries/ )

'Pete'