Re: Louisiana: Assumption Parish Bayou Corne Sinkhole 2012
http://theadvocate.com/home/4097747-...fer-previously
Another important revelation in the article is that DNR officials and the group of scientists working with them have not ruled out that gas from the 2003-04 Grand Bayou incident is still in the aquifer, contrary to the impression Gulf South had until this point in time.
Also I think this is the first article that brings up the possibility that leaking wells from oil and gas exploration in the dome vicinity may have contributed to the gas burden in the aquifer. I've been wondering about this after reading about that wild well incident in 2010. There was a relief well in progress at the time it stopped spewing on its own, and the operator got permission to divert the relief well into a production well. Looking at the diagram on page 16 below, it looks like the first well overshot the oil pocket.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12383798...ments-that-are
When a blowout stops on its own, they assume either it spontaneously 'bridged' or the pressure was released from the pocket it hit.
To me, a 'bridged' well sounds very uncertain as to consequences. Did a collapse of the well bore underground just end up diverting the water and gas elsewhere? The well was eventually properly plugged at the surface, but the spontaneous bridge that actually stopped the blowout would be a plug wouldn't it, and possibly a poor plug?
http://www.npc.org/Prudent_Developme...ment_Paper.pdf
http://theadvocate.com/home/4097747-...fer-previously
Gas found in aquifer previously
By David J. Mitchell
River Parishes bureau
October 09, 2012
The latest release of natural gas discovered in an underground aquifer near Bayou Corne may be the third time in the past 13 years that gas has been loosed in shallow formations over or near the subterranean Napoleonville salt dome, according to a review of regulatory filings....
By David J. Mitchell
River Parishes bureau
October 09, 2012
The latest release of natural gas discovered in an underground aquifer near Bayou Corne may be the third time in the past 13 years that gas has been loosed in shallow formations over or near the subterranean Napoleonville salt dome, according to a review of regulatory filings....
Also I think this is the first article that brings up the possibility that leaking wells from oil and gas exploration in the dome vicinity may have contributed to the gas burden in the aquifer. I've been wondering about this after reading about that wild well incident in 2010. There was a relief well in progress at the time it stopped spewing on its own, and the operator got permission to divert the relief well into a production well. Looking at the diagram on page 16 below, it looks like the first well overshot the oil pocket.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12383798...ments-that-are
When a blowout stops on its own, they assume either it spontaneously 'bridged' or the pressure was released from the pocket it hit.
To me, a 'bridged' well sounds very uncertain as to consequences. Did a collapse of the well bore underground just end up diverting the water and gas elsewhere? The well was eventually properly plugged at the surface, but the spontaneous bridge that actually stopped the blowout would be a plug wouldn't it, and possibly a poor plug?
http://www.npc.org/Prudent_Developme...ment_Paper.pdf
Working Document of the NPC North American Resource Development Study
Made Available September 15, 2011
[snip]
Unplugged or poorly plugged wells are an environmental hazard as they provide potential conduits for fluids to migrate between formations and potentially into the fresh water zones. Poorly plugged wells also might provide pathways for natural gas to seep to the surface and potentially cause fire or be a health hazards. An abandoned well?s potential for causing a
potential hazard is largely dependent on the original use of the well. Oil wells that have been pumped for years will typically be very low pressure and the risk of contamination is low while a gas well that is flowing at a rate that is non-economical can still posses enough pressure to be a risk to the environment...
Made Available September 15, 2011
[snip]
Unplugged or poorly plugged wells are an environmental hazard as they provide potential conduits for fluids to migrate between formations and potentially into the fresh water zones. Poorly plugged wells also might provide pathways for natural gas to seep to the surface and potentially cause fire or be a health hazards. An abandoned well?s potential for causing a
potential hazard is largely dependent on the original use of the well. Oil wells that have been pumped for years will typically be very low pressure and the risk of contamination is low while a gas well that is flowing at a rate that is non-economical can still posses enough pressure to be a risk to the environment...
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