Cavern Threatens To Swallow Carlsbad, New Mexico

news.aol.com:

The bright yellow signs on U.S. 285 are the first indication that things aren't right in Carlsbad.
"US 285 south subject to sinkhole 1,000 feet ahead," motorists are warned.

But there is little other evidence that in southeastern New Mexico's oil country, a giant cavern sits beneath the earth, ready to swallow part of the highway and possibly a church, several businesses and a trailer park.

Read the whole story: news.aol.com

Comments

[research]

"The cavern was formed over three decades as oil field service companies pumped fresh water into a salt layer more than 400 feet below the surface and extracted several million barrels of brine to help with drilling."

Looks like the resource extraction companies spoiling the commons again.....

[Tyler-Durden]

i don't see anyone commenting on what I thought was the critical issue:

the trucking company was pumping water into the ground, and causing its instability. if something happens, aren't they liable? i wouldn't let them leave town without having their insurance information.

[CR46]

Sounds like it might fall into the "Gods will" catagory.

[MJinCanada]

Hardly. Anyone who passed Geology 101 would know what happens when you do water injection oil recovery in limestone bedrock.

[CR46]

And most people reading articles in the green section can catch sarcasm :)

[SonofLiberty1]

No common sense..this is Karst (cave) country....just because you don't know there is a cavern underneath you doesn't mean it's not there.

[Mikeeee]

"The cavern was formed over three decades as oil field service companies pumped "FRESH" water into a salt layer more than 400 feet below the surface and extracted several million barrels of brine to help with drilling."

Anybody else notice the irony here? Fresh water in a desert, makes sense to me to pump it into the ground.

[MoistvonLipwig]

Water is the prime mover of oil. Almost any oil that flows on its on either connects to the ocean floor somewhere, and water pressure if 'floating' it up, or brine is being injected into the oil baring formation. I worked on many injection wells in Southern California. The fresh water they used to make the brine was actually more pure than the tap water in LA.

[MJinCanada]

Love your screen name. Going Postal is one of my favourites.

[MJinCanada]

It's called a brine well because they started out with fresh water but they've been recovering and re-using it as it grows saltier (alkaline) with dissolved minerals. Which is why there's a cavern: limestone and other carbonate rocks dissolve. They have to filter the brine to some degree because if it's too alkaline, it will corrode or gunk up the equipment.

As Moist points out, the injection of water forces small pockets of oil and/or heavier crude toward the oil well borehole so it can be pumped out. The technique has been used for years; however it is another case of ignoring potential damage just to get the oil.

[Antifascist-08]

End of times?

[Mexitli]

It's prolly just another prank by Balloon Boy's dad.

[cbelle]

There's an underground nuclear waste facility in the caverns of Carlsbad. I wouldn't go anywhere near that place.

[AmandaBC]

Oh, that's why the bats glow in the dark!! :)

[18wheeler]

No, dude. The WIPP is on 62-180, east of Carlsbad, and the caverns are southwest of town, on your way to Texas.

[cbelle]

The nuclear waste is buried IN the caverns-as I recall, the salt-lined caves are supposed to act as a natural barrier, although I am sure other precautions have been taken ;) But the Carlsbad caverns are huge and like other cave complexes, extend over a very large area.

[myoungholt]

Drill, baby, drill!!!

[up420oz]

You posted the answer to this question:

What was heard coming from Bristol Palins bedroom 9 months before Tripp was born?

[KIVPossum]

ROFLMAO

[derrickhoyle]

that was truly awesome

[AmandaBC]

I guess it's extra room for Carlsbad's famous bats... :)

[foneric]

Maybe we should see if there is anything we can do to help it swallow the whole state.

[jan4insight]

What?????????

[NoblesseOblige]

I agree. New Mexico is a great state with beautiful people, wonderful outdoor activities, cultural events, museums, unrivaled natural scenery, and terrific food!

[pbley68]

Its great to see big business as usual caring about local communities.

[mabinog]

"But there is little other evidence that in southeastern New Mexico's oil country, a giant cavern sits beneath the earth, ready to swallow part of the highway and possibly a church, several businesses and a trailer park."

Well other than the Carlsbad Caverns National Park outside the city, a big hint that there might be caverns in the region.........

[ifitwereme]

welcome to new mexico - the sinkhole state!

[18wheeler]

No kidding. If every brine well has the potential to form a sinkhole, we are f#cked in Lea and Eddy counties...

[CoconutLime]

You got the state's motto wrong. It should be...

Welcome to New Mexico - The Land of Mañana.

[kkrimmer]

Oil and Bush?

Greenspan: Oil the Prime Motive for Iraq War
America's elder statesman of finance, Alan Greenspan, has shaken the White House by declaring that the prime motive for the war in Iraq was oil.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296938,00.html

[MJinCanada]

Wow. As my mother-in-law would say, "Queen Anne's dead, you know."
(Which is Surrey English for "Hello, Captain Obvious."