At the end of June, some folks in Assumption Parish, LA,noticed bubbles coming up in the water in the Bayou Corne area. This is an area
near where a blow-out occurred during earlier gas drilling, so people thought the
bubbles might be methane.
Sure enough, testing showed that the bubbles were methane –
but no one could figure out where they’re coming from: the gas well? The pipeline?
Nearby salt caverns owned by a gas company?
Then yesterday a big sinkhole began to form. People
complained of smelling diesel earlier, but no official action was taken.
However, on Friday a the sinkhole began swallowing up several acres of trees, so
Governor Bobby Jindal declared an emergency and ordered 150 homes evacuated.
The sinkhole is located about half a mile from the road but
only 600 feet from the nearest pipeline. The nearest water well is 1300 feet
away, the nearest home about 2500 feet. Photos here.
Is it related to the bubbling methane? Possibly – the sinkhole
is only 1900 feet from the nearest bubbles. At the rate it’s growing, it might
get there before too long; already it’s threatening storage wells of flammable hydrocarbons.
Texas Sharon is keeping an eye on things as they progress - the amazing thing is that there is little about this in the news.
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