Sulphur Mines Investigation

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This page was updated 02/26/2025 at 2:34:37 PM.

Data & Sampling 

Since January 2023, LDENR has required Westlake to sample areas in the central lake area of the dome (where "bubble sites" have been discovered), industrial water wells west of the dome, and monitor wells on top of the dome (see below) for bulk constuents and gas/isotope analysis. Currently, water wells are required to be sampled monthly, and bubble sites are required quarterly.

Additionally, Westlake has performed chemical fingerprinting of oils around Sulphur Mines, including oil from locally production wells, the oil seep near the central lake, and oil produced from Cavern 7. So far, according to the chemical fingerprint analysis Cavern 7 oil and locally produced oil are distinctly different, and oil produced from Cavern 7 is most chemically similar to crude oil left behind when caverns at Sulphur Mines were used for Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage by the Department of Energy prior to 1993. 

See map below for sampling locations

Click here for full-size image.

In early 2024, Westlake installed three monitor well clusters on top of Sulphur dome, which are required to be sampled on a monthly basis.

Monitor well (MW-3-200)

Monitor well sampling in progress (10/22/2024) 

1st Data Submittal (ERM) - received May 9, 2023.

2nd Data Submittal (ERM) - received June 9, 2023.

3rd Data Submittal (ERM) - received July 21, 2023.

4th Data Submittal (ERM) - received August 16, 2023.

5th Data Submittal (ERM) - received October 12, 2023.

6th Data Submittal (ERM) - received December 29, 2023.

7th Data Submittal (ERM) - received March 5, 2024.

8th Data Submittal (ERM) - recieved July 9, 2024.

9th Data Submittal (ERM) - received November 5, 2024

10th Data Submittal (ERM) - received February 18, 2025

Preliminary Report - Chemical Fingerprint of Oils (NewFields) - received February 27, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprint of Oily Net - No. 20 (NewFields) - received April 27, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprint of 7B Cavern Oil, Cavern 4 Oil, Select Yellow Rock Well Oils, and a Bubble Site 24 Sheen - May 2023 (NewFields) - received June 12, 2023.

AMENDED Chemical Fingerprint of 7B Cavern Oil, Cavern 4 Oil, Select Yellow Rock Well Oils, and a Bubble Site 24 Sheen - May 2023 (NewFields) - received June 18, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprint of 7B Cavern Oil, Select Yellow Rock Well Oils and Central Lake Sheen - June 2023 (NewFields) - received July 25, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprinting of Additional Yellow Rock Well Oils -- mid- and late-August 2023 (NewFields) - received October 4, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprinting of Additional Yellow Rock Well Oils -- mid- and late-August 2023 (NewFields) - received October 5, 2023.

Chemical Fingerprint of Bubble Site 19 Sheen - October 15, 2023 (NewFields) - received November 7, 2023

Chemical Fingerprint of Cavern 7B Oil - October 2023 (NewFields) - received November 21, 2023 

Chemical Fingerpring of Surface Oil near Bubble Site 24 - February 26, 2024 (NewFields) - received March 27, 2024

Chemical Fingerprint of 7B Cavern Oil - February 2024 (NewFields) - received April 4, 2024

Chemical Fingerprint of PPG 4 & 7B Cavern Well Oils - August and September 2024 (NewFields) - recieved October29, 2024