Tagged: sinkhole

Officials say tremors recorded in Assumption Parish since late May could be why a brine cavern encased within the Napoleonville salt dome failed and caused a massive sinkhole.

Texas Brine Co. spokesman Sonny Cranch said Tuesday a tool used to measure the depth of the cavern bottomed out 1,300 feet higher than anticipated. Cranch said the presence of this material indicates the cavern failed.

Officials say an abandoned brine cavern in the Napoleonville salt dome has been successfully breached.

State Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh said Monday the investigatory well entered the cavern Saturday evening. Officials say they hope samples taken from inside the cavern will shed some light on the cause behind a massive sinkhole that erupted in Assumption Parish Aug. 3.

Officials say natural gas samples taken from inside the cavern will be tested for connections with gas bubbles that have been identified in other areas of the parish.

Officials say they are one step closer to figuring out the cause behind the massive sinkhole that has been plaguing Assumption Parish for over a month.

State Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh said Wednesday that Texas Brine Co., the company that owns the brine cavern believed to be at fault, will be breaching the cavern Thursday afternoon.

Residents will hold an emergency town-hall meeting to encourage state and local officials to provide more information about the sinkhole in Assumption Parish.

John Achee Jr., a community activist, said the meeting will be held Thursday at the St. Joseph the Worker Church parish hall in Pierre Part.

Achee said residents called the meeting because of a lack of information from emergency officials and Texas Brine Co., which owns the property where the sinkhole was found.

Officials say drilling on two wells is expected to begin over the next week near the Assumption Parish community of Bayou Corne to learn more about the sinkhole that emerged there last month.

The Courier reports that officials believe a planned vent well will determine whether natural gas exists in a water aquifer used to create oil mud known as brine.