A Bad Day on the Rig

[PE Scott + 563]

;http://www.nbcnews.com/id/33738802/ns/us_news-environment/t/cavern-could-collapse-taking-part-nm-city/#.Xp0JDMhKiUk

 

This is what happens when you pump too much fresh water into a shallow salt cavern. There are a number of these brine wells in New Mexico, I think this article is about one under a major intersection in Carlsbad. There, they shut in the well and have been pumping mountains of sand into various injection points in an attempt to fill the void and keep earth from swallowing up a major intersection, some buildings, and potentially a major irrigation canal.

 

A link with better pictures of to explain the current project.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/carlsbad-city-council-approves-dollar2m-in-extra-brine-well-requests-from-state/ar-BB12KtKG

 

Edit: I've watched videos on that numerous times. What always amazed me was that several of the barges that were swallowed up popped back to the surface later! Also, that the ocean was flowing backwards into that lake for sometime was pretty wild. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by PE Scott