Louisiana Orders Texas Brine To Take New Steps In Conjunction With The Large Sinkhole

The state has ordered new steps to minimize risk of exposure to natural gas under property where a large sinkhole formed in August in Assumption Parish.

The Louisiana Office of Conservation on Monday issued the new round of directives to Texas Brine Co. LLC, which had operations at an underground salt cavern, where it extracted brine for nearby petrochemical facilities.

The state says data shows the sinkhole is linked to the collapse of a side wall in the cavern.

Texas Brine has been ordered to install a network of observation wells and pressure monitoring wells in the area. Conservation Commissioner James Welsh also ordered Texas Brine to install in-home methane detectors and upgrade ventilation systems for slab-foundation homes and buildings in the area where underground gas has accumulated.