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Office of Conservation Oversees Resumption of Drilling at Texas Brine Site

Conservation agents made regular inspections following storm, resuming 24/7 presence on site

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh today announced that drilling has resumed at site of the investigatory well into Texas Brine LLC's abandoned salt cavern in Assumption Parish, following a suspension of drilling due to Hurricane Isaac this week.

The rig operator laid down the rig derrick, secured site equipment and evacuated the site on Monday, in anticipation of potential winds and flooding. Enforcement agents with the Office of Conservation monitored the shutdown of site operations, and continued to make site visits to assess the condition of the site before and after the storm's passage.

At the time when operations were suspended, the company had drilled to approximately 600 feet and cemented the surface casing from 600 feet back to the surface to maintain well integrity through the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer. Blowout preventers and a diverter system had also already been installed.

The operator returned to work on the site Thursday, standing the derrick back up and preparing the rig and associated equipment, and resumed drilling shortly before noon Friday.

Prior to the operator's return to the site, a Conservation agent inspecting the drill pad area noted the storm had caused a minor break in the small containment levee around the project's emergency pit. The agent reported that nothing had been released from the pit, and the operator repaired the break Thursday.