Quote:NEW YORK | Wed Aug 8, 2012 9:20pm IST

(Reuters) – Chevron Corp’s subsidiary Bridgeline Holdings has declared a force majeure on its natural gas storage cavern near Napleonville, Louisiana, due to seismic activity, it said in a company filing on Tuesday.
The force majeure is in place until December 31, 2012, it said.
A company spokesman could not immediately comment.
(Reporting By Jeanine Prezioso)

What in the heck is a ‘force majeure’?

Force majeure

Force majeure is a common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as a war, strike, riot, crime, or an event described by the legal term act of God (such as hurricane, flooding, earthquake, volcanic eruption, etc.), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract. In practice, most force majeure clauses do not excuse a party’s non-performance entirely, but only suspends it for the duration of the force majeure. [2][3]

Force majeure is generally intended to include risks beyond the reasonable control of a party, incurred not as a product or result of the negligence or malfeasance of a party, which have a materially adverse effect on the ability of such party to perform its obligations[4], as where non-performance is caused by the usual and natural consequences of external forces (for example, predicted rain stops an outdoor event), or where the intervening circumstances are specifically contemplated.

Used in this context the term strikes me as meaning, “It is not my fault and I’m bailing while the getting is good. Sayonara.”

Quote:We are aware of fish kills reported in the Bayou Lafourche, Belle River, and surrounding Lake Verret areas. The question is: How is this going to affect our water being Bayou Lafourche is our potable water supply??

According to B.J. Francis, Assumption Parish Waterworks Director, they stayed in compliance throughout the storm and remain in compliance right now. He stated that since the storm, the integrity of Bayou Lafourche is constantly changing. APWW is dealing with these changes as plant operators are continuously testing the water and adjusting the chemical dosages to maintain quality. He advised that he will keep the public informed and updated regarding these changes. He also would like to thank all customers for their patience throughout this ordeal.

Quote:Three new bubbling spots have been identified and confirmed; in Bayou Corne, Grand Bayou, and Triche Canal. DEQ will pull samples to investigate and the spots will be monitored. Once lab results are available, they will be posted.

Drilling operations continue on schedule. Preparation for the 10 3/4″ casing has been completed and the stabbing of that casing will take place all day today. After complete, the casing must be cemented in and that will take 48 hours to cure. Once that step is complete, preparation for the 7″ casing which will actually enter the salt. That step is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

The OEP command post is back on site in Bayou Corne and will be staffed from 6 am to 6 pm. OEP phone lines will be manned 24 hours per day. The Sheriff’s Office will maintain a 24 hour presence in the community. The DEQ Mobile Lab is back on site and State Police & GOHSEP are on their was back and are expected later today.

Quote:It has been brought to our attention that some people are speculating about alarms going off in the Bayou Corne area. Despite the fact that the OEP office is closed until Tuesday, calls have been made inquiring about such alarms, and it has been confirmed that alarms are NOT going off in the Bayou Corne area.

Quote:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) returned its report of the aerial survey performed in Bayou Corne on Saturday, August 25, 2012. The survey showed no detectable emissions from the area in concentrations great enough to represent a public hazard.

Click the link below to access the entire survey:
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/OC/Bayou...ft.epa.pdf

Quote:Drilling of the 7”casing continues and should last for a week or so. Minor clean up operations resumed on yesterday with remote skimming (from the Well #3 pad) of diesel at the sinkhole site. We have received several inquiries about updated measurements of the sinkhole; however, until access is granted back into the sinkhole, accurate measurements will not be available.

Quote:At 3:00 p.m. on yesterday, drilling had reached 1,403′ and per Texas Brine, is on schedule. The estimated date that drilling will enter the cavern is 09/26. We have advised Texas Brine to advise 48 hours prior to the cavern being reached so that notifications can be sent to residents. As in the past, a notification phone call will be sent as well as updates here on the blog.

Quote:There are now 14 identified bubbling spots in waterways surrounding Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou. An updated map with pictures and coordinates will be available shortly.

Quote:Per Texas Brine, on yesterday while installing a seismic monitoring station in a geo-technical core well, a sonic casing was driven down to 475′. While removing the outer casing, at 415′ they encountered a pocket of gas which blew grout and mud out of the casing. A gauge was placed at the well head which read 180 pounds of pressure. The drilling company then went back into the casing with heavier drilling mud to complete the operation and not lose the geo-technical core well which is currently setting before the technological equipment can be installed.

Quote:Two different contractors have been hired by DNR to drill observation wells into the aquifer in 5-6 locations. One location is a typical water well that will be drilled on Dugas & LeBlanc property located between the sinkhole and the Bayou Corne community. The remaining well locations are currently being negotiated with property owners. Those wells are called “geo probe wells” which is casing driven with a hammered rig into the aquifer. The objective of these rigs is to identify if any free gas is located in the aquifer and to determine a resolution which could include (but not be limited to) venting and observation. We will update with a map as soon as locations and wells have been determined. This activity may start as early as tomorrow and will continue for approximately the next week or so. Residents may hear something similar to the sound of a jackhammer caused by drilling operations.

Quote:Video from the flyover today is posted at:

http://youtu.be/KgzusszNRx0

We have been advised that State Police will fly over the site for observation on Mondays and Thursdays. This week’s schedule is behind a day due to mandatory helicopter maintenance.

i guess everyone has forgotten about the giant sinkhole?
some recent updates people need to read (oldest updates first):

http://assumptionla.wordpress.com/

Quote:Drilling of the 7”casing continues and should last for a week or so. Minor clean up operations resumed on yesterday with remote skimming (from the Well #3 pad) of diesel at the sinkhole site. We have received several inquiries about updated measurements of the sinkhole; however, until access is granted back into the sinkhole, accurate measurements will not be available.

Quote:At 3:00 p.m. on yesterday, drilling had reached 1,403′ and per Texas Brine, is on schedule. The estimated date that drilling will enter the cavern is 09/26. We have advised Texas Brine to advise 48 hours prior to the cavern being reached so that notifications can be sent to residents. As in the past, a notification phone call will be sent as well as updates here on the blog.

Quote:There are now 14 identified bubbling spots in waterways surrounding Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou. An updated map with pictures and coordinates will be available shortly.

here's the map:
http://www.edsuite.com/proposals/proposa...fi_448.pdf

notice how bubbles 11, 12 & 13 all popped up near each other and how #14 is off by itself in a totally new area

Quote:Per Texas Brine, on yesterday while installing a seismic monitoring station in a geo-technical core well, a sonic casing was driven down to 475′. While removing the outer casing, at 415′ they encountered a pocket of gas which blew grout and mud out of the casing. A gauge was placed at the well head which read 180 pounds of pressure. The drilling company then went back into the casing with heavier drilling mud to complete the operation and not lose the geo-technical core well which is currently setting before the technological equipment can be installed.

now today-

Quote:Two different contractors have been hired by DNR to drill observation wells into the aquifer in 5-6 locations. One location is a typical water well that will be drilled on Dugas & LeBlanc property located between the sinkhole and the Bayou Corne community. The remaining well locations are currently being negotiated with property owners. Those wells are called “geo probe wells” which is casing driven with a hammered rig into the aquifer. The objective of these rigs is to identify if any free gas is located in the aquifer and to determine a resolution which could include (but not be limited to) venting and observation. We will update with a map as soon as locations and wells have been determined. This activity may start as early as tomorrow and will continue for approximately the next week or so. Residents may hear something similar to the sound of a jackhammer caused by drilling operations.

more wells?
interesting, no?

Quote:Video from the flyover today is posted at:

http://youtu.be/KgzusszNRx0

We have been advised that State Police will fly over the site for observation on Mondays and Thursdays. This week’s schedule is behind a day due to mandatory helicopter maintenance.

Probably unrelated to this event, but I thought it was an interesting coincidence. Possible cover story to explain away a sulfur smell during the hurricane?


Reported pollution from the state’s Isaac-related accidents totaled 4.9 million pounds and 171,000 gallons, but actual amounts were much greater, Rolfes said. Accidents included chemicals dumped by Exxon’s Chalmette Refining as it hurried to shut down just before the storm to a sunken Mississippi River barge containing petroleum coke dust. Chalmette Refining released 277 tons of sulfur dioxide on Aug. 27 and more chemicals on Aug. 31.

http://www.louisianaweekly.com/oil-indus...fter-isaac

Quote:There has been reported increased seismic activity in the Bayou Corne/Grand Bayou area. This activity is not the sharp tremors that were occurring prior to the development of the sinkhole; however, indications show (through monitors set up by USGS) that seismic activity has been occurring NW of the sinkhole and it’s unknown at this time what this may mean. USGS is continuously monitoring this activity.

Quote:BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh announced today that operators contracted by the Office of Conservation will start Wednesday on work to probe the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer and the soils that lie over it to test for the presence of natural gas and establish venting sites, if needed, between the west side of the Napoleonville Salt Dome and the Bayou Corne community in Assumption Parish.

Welsh previously announced that the Office of Conservation had contracted the services of Walker-Hill Environmental for the drilling of an observational water well, and stated Tuesday that the agency had contracted the services of Pro-Tech to bring additional resources to ensure public safety by testing for the potential of natural gas movement. Welsh said his Office will continue to seek new sites and move as quickly as possible to detect and identify potential public hazards and protect public safety.

The Office of Conservation last week received its first landowner agreement allowing the agency access to drill an observational water well that can be converted, as needed, to vent any significant natural gas concentrations found in the aquifer. The agency continues to work with landowners to identify additional locations for observation wells.

The findings from the drilling and water sampling associated with the observational well will determine the next steps in the process of investigating the condition of the aquifer. Public safety remains the agency’s top priority and the findings will be made public as information is received.

Quote:Groundwater can sometimes be difficult to clean up due to its location. Many times the water is pumped up a well, cleaned, and then sent back down the well into the aquifer. Sometimes an additive is placed in the groundwater that either makes the contaminants less harmful or destroys them. When there is contamination, not only does the water need to be cleaned, but often the soil as well. If the soil wasn't cleaned, then the contaminants could just seep back into the water. Thus, cleaning is a very, very expensive and time consuming process. Sometimes it might be impossible or too expensive to clean up the contamination at all!