Bayou corne sinkhole submitted to: carlos emmanuel garcia
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| DISCUSSION Considering that the concerns of the community residents and state officials, as well as the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources were about the gas leaks, subsidence and earthquakes after the occurrence of the Bayou Corne Sinkhole. They have decided to closely monitor the seismic activity in the area, with the help of Nanometrics the project involved installation of a permanent seismic array with high performance broadband seismometer. New Trillium Posthole Seismometers were positioned, as used by the US Geological Survey in their temporary array. Dissimilar to traditional geophones, the Trilliun Posthole’s are capable of identifying lower frequency events, which is crucial to monitoring induced and triggered seismicity. Regardless of the challenging conditions of the area the Nanometrics Seismic Engineering Team speedily and competently placed 7 stations in the Bayou. It comprises 6 Trillium Posthole Seismometers situated in 15-21 m depth as well as a vertical instrument array. The array has a Trillium Compact Seismometer positioned at the bottom of am hole with Trillium Compact Seismometer at 50 m depth increments. Additionally, Nanometrics has been granted the contract to obtain the data, detect and manage the seismic network as well as give daily data processing. Equitably essential to the sinkhole monitoring processes is the vigorous program of subsidence monitoring presently in place within and to close to the sinkhole. Currently, particular types of subsidence measurements are being used at and throughout the Grand Bayou facility to foresee the extent of subsidence rates and examine how subsidence may affect nearby properties. The subsidence monitoring methods encompasses conventional level line surveys, utilizing wellheads and monuments, Satellite-based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technologies, and real time monitoring with water-level transducers and tiltmeters. Each method gives out a distinct primary function, and comparing and combining the methods yields a more comprehensive result than evaluating subsidence relying solely on a single method. Persistent sinkhole surveys show that the sinkhole’s general shape has prevailed fairly unchanging over the last years. According to the consistent sinkhole’s shape and the restricted opportunity for volumetric growth in the future, dramatic shift in the volume of the sinkhole is thought to be extremely unlikely. Hence, Texas Brine aspires to continue its current monitoring process, which includes semiannual inspections on the western edge of the salt dome and participates in annual inspections of the entire dome. In addition, Texas Brine currently observes the OG1, OG2 and OG3A caverns and wellbores for alteration in pressure. A downhole pressure transducer was established in OG3A last 19th of December 2014. This will record downhole pressures which can be compared to real time conditions at the wellhead. Long-term pressure monitoring plans have been submitted. These plans call for ongoing management and monitoring of wellhead pressures to guarantee that the current stable cavern situation is maintained. Also, Texas Brine thoroughly considered all input from the Blue Ribbon Commission and their recommendations are contained in much of the technology and protocols that have been put in place. The Texas Brine remains committed to a continuing monitoring program designed to secure public safety. |