Oil industry sinkhole threatens to swallow city
Parts of the New Mexico town near Carlsbad Caverns National Park could collapse because of irresponsible extraction practices by the oil industry.
By Bryan NelsonTue, Nov 10 2009 at 4:30 AM EST
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BAD CAVERNS: Unlike the Carlsbad Caverns, collapsed brine wells like this one in nearby Artesia, N.M., aren't natural. (Photo: National Cave And Karst Research Institute/AP) Related on MNN: Rescuers dig our from monstrous sinkhole in Guatemala
"U.S. 285 south subject to sinkhole 1,000 feet ahead," reads a bright yellow sign along the stretch of highway heading through Carlsbad, N.M.
Normally a motorist driving through the area might not find a sign like that unusual. The city is, after all, home to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, a network of some of the largest natural caverns in North America. But on this occasion, the sign's sharp colors make the message clear: what's happening in Carlsbad is not natural.
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In fact, the massive sinkhole currently running through the center of town was created by the oil industry. As MSNBC reports, it 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.
If it collapses, the unnatural cavern is likely to take with it a church, a highway, several businesses and a trailer park. Massive fissures currently cleave through town, and one business owner has said that structural cracks have even formed in his store.
"It would be like a bomb going off in the middle of town," said Jim Griswold, a hydrologist with the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division. The problem is so severe that the Eddy County Commission declared a state of emergency last Thursday, and they hope that state and federal funds will arrive in time to fill the cavern before it collapses.
Alarms placed to monitor the sinkhole should give authorities at least a few hours' warning to evacuate Carlsbad's residents in the event of an imminent cave-in, but the costs of the sinkhole might already be inevitable. Damages to local crops could exceed $100 million.
In regular industry fashion, the oil field service company that owns the site where the cavern is located, I&W Trucking, contends the state is overreacting. But if anyone knows how to judge the dangers of a giant hole in the ground, it's the 26,000 residents of Carlsbad, N.M.
"It's a nightmare," said Ellie Fletcher, a local resident. "I would like to forget about it, but I can't forget about it because it's right there."
Meanwhile, I&W Trucking has abandoned its brine operation and moved down the road.
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Comments
james owsley
09/28/2010 14:47 PM
I live in carlsbad and 3 days ago they removed all equipment that was used to study the seismic activity in the hopes that they could call it a natraul disaster to late now though the highway has holes popin left and right and someone built a hotel right on the sinkhole it was built 3 days ago
Sinkhole Neighbor
08/29/2010 12:47 PM
I live a 1/2 mile from this sinkhole. The article is accurate. There are structural cracks in the store next to the property. Both a major highway and a large canal runs right over the area where the sinkhole has formed. Before I moved to NM, I didn't even know about brine water extraction for drilling. I got used to other places where environmental standards are higher and safety measures are stronger. Exploitation of resources for short term gain rules here.
mare
07/19/2010 17:31 PM
The oil company should pay to relocate those people before anything else happens!!
John in Portland
07/06/2010 18:11 PM
Actually, if they can fill the void with cucumbers, or locally grown Hatch chili peppers they could have the World's Largest Pickle Mine ! (Probably the world's only pickle mine, come to think of it) Concession fees from the resulting Gen-u-ine Southwest Tourist Trap would surely pay for re-locating the town a la village of Knapsack, Germany, which was polluted out of existance some decades ago.
liz
06/07/2010 21:57 PM
it aint no oil company or i and w really how they gonna make a hole to get bigger and bigger its mother nature the time is co9ming fools look around u one disaster after another
John C
10/08/2011 20:25 PM
You're a bone head! So the end of time is coming? Do you realize that there have been just as many and more natural disasters in the past? In fact, many of them have been far more severe! Take Yellowstone, for example. There have been massive eruptions there, that would make anything we have seen look like a steam vent! You religious zealots need to do a little research and you would learn these things, instead of sounding so ignorant! I bet the dinosaurs that the end of time had come,.... More
Tim
06/06/2010 00:03 AM
how about blaming your governor? umm no he is hispanic.. that would be racial.. how about the president.. hmm no he is black and that too would be racial.. who else? oh how about G.W. Bush? im sure you libral freaks would jump on that one in a heart beat..
why blame anyone? its a problem and instead of pointing fingers why not go and find out a way to help? oh wait.. thats an american thing to do.. most residence in NM sould be called mexicans.. yes i am a resident of new mexico..... More
thinkingperson
06/02/2010 12:43 PM
Judging by a number of the posted comments with their spelling and grammatical errors, and their faulty logic, I have to conclude they are NOT "smarter than a 5th grader"!
WeAreAllDoomed
11/28/2009 23:18 PM
For proof, just read these comments.
roy
11/23/2009 16:59 PM
Of all the comments I've read in the last few minutes only Dink mentioned any responsibility of government in both the permit and oversight process. As usual (with the blame big business crowd) it's always BIG CORPORATION'S fault and they and the BIG INSURANCE COMPANIES need to pay and "you're not using my tax money for that". How many of those commenting here are on unemployment, food stamps, participated in "Cash for Clunkers", took advantage of the $8,000 First Time Home Buyers Credit,.... More
John C
10/08/2011 20:33 PM
Roy - you are absolutely right! Those doing most of the bitching don't mind having access to relatively cheer gas, compared to most of the world. They make the oil companies out to be the bad guys, but, they don't mind taking that welfare money and paying for that nice new vehicle and selling their food stamps to buy drugs and alcohol! Maybe a few sinkholes will swallow them up and spit them out in North Korea!
CHEROKEE
11/20/2009 07:00 AM
Maybe all the crooked cops in Carlsbad,N.M. will fall in it. and the WIPP Site and their radiation.
mike smith
11/18/2009 14:32 PM
liberal hipocrites, the fact that you are enjoying typing your dribble on your computer, then get into your car to go get a $4 cappacino and spout some more dribble with other like minded liberal idiots about how everyone else is hurting the planet but you always amazes me. If you want to make zero impact then go back to the way things were before, give everything you have away and live off the land like an aborigine the way the great spirit intended. But you can't cause you would dead within a.... More
john
11/21/2009 17:50 PM
Your inaccurate stereotypes and broad generalizations amount to hubris, self-delusion, and self-hate. You'll die a miserable man. Good luck.
Mike
11/18/2009 15:27 PM
Anywhere there is human activity you'll find human crap left behind in some form or another. The earliest crappers were from Africa who then spread to Europe then Asia and North America (clovis crap) then to South America. Seems we can blame this all on early crappers the Africans.
Pat
11/18/2009 00:03 AM
But seriously, this points out that oil drilling practices anywhere can hurt innocent people, while huge companies make big profits and spit in your face at your loss of property...or worse. If you have a mortgage on the house, and it's destroyed by something like this, you still owe the bank that money. We need to be outraged, not laughing.
kena
11/16/2009 01:40 AM
Yet another example of how WE have placed "value" on something that doens't "value" US. Are we going to start listening? We are Here. The resident in the artical want to "forget" about it, but she can't, IT'S right There!
Here we are, Humans.
heidi
12/11/2009 20:58 PM
Enter your comments here Spelling and grammar show your ignorance. Have someone with a grade-school education help you with your next post.
Guest
11/15/2009 15:57 PM
I think terrorists did it! Americans should go and spread their freedom again. haha. haha.
masa
11/14/2009 15:43 PM
Haha i hope whole america sinks in that hole.
Michael
11/14/2009 15:39 PM
And it shouldn't be the innocent citizens of the town but the SOB's that own the company I&W Trucking.
scott
11/12/2009 07:16 AM
This is proof that god hates all Carlsbads except Carlsbad, Ca. Karlsbad, Czech Repubic is next.
Guest
11/12/2009 10:52 AM
what kind of comment is that? seriously, under the face of imminent danger to actual human beings, who makes comments as tasteless and ignorant as that?
Singe
11/12/2009 03:16 AM
mining industry industry practice. They do their business until they've polluted the water table to the point it's too toxic to drink, then move to a new location or dissolve the company so it can't get sued for cleanup. In this case, it's sinkholes. A lot of useful information can be found in this regard in Jared Diamond's book, "Collapse". There's already one Superfund site in Carlsbad. Soon more will follow.
Respect Mother Earth
11/11/2009 18:32 PM
The oil company should pay for all of the damage they created. The entire town should get together and file a class action law suit and draw attention to the company and give them the bad press they deserve so other fellow Americans can boycott the company and force them to fix the issue.
This happened in Avila Beach California. There were huge holding tanks that were leaking oil into the ground for years and contaminating the ground water as well as the environment. The oil company.... More
Teri
11/11/2009 16:03 PM
Like the saying goes if u can't say something nice then say nothing at all. I grew up in Carlsbad. All towns have the good and bad parts. Even though i no longer live there I have ALOT of friends and family that do and this sinkhole is very disturbing to be. I believe the oil companies are responsible and should be the ones paying.
TK
11/11/2009 14:56 PM
It's interesting how these oil companies can just go in and destroy our natural environment, but taxpayers are the ones who have to fix the problems they leave for us.
Troll Ala Mode
11/11/2009 14:53 PM
You guys are funny with comments. The guy from Europe, why do Europeans always throw pot shots at America? Why? I suggest European countries do more to help the world since the majority of people there think they're at the top of the food chain...instead of just sitting around. That photo is scary, almost like a 2012 photo.
sneaker
11/11/2009 13:37 PM
Oil company ****** it up, Oil company should fix it or compensate injured (financially or physically) residents.
Jason
11/11/2009 13:14 PM
Anyone have the Google Earth co-ordinance for this sinkhole?
Dink
11/12/2009 10:12 AM
There is no sinkhole yet. And for all you uninformed, I&W is NOT an oil company. The only produce brine for use in the oil industry. Big difference. But I do agree I&W made some bad choices, but the OCD failed to provide adequate oversight. Just like the CA parol board failed to find Jaycee Dugard.
rob
11/11/2009 15:02 PM
its coordinates. not co-ordinance
jiji
11/11/2009 12:29 PM
Black hole
Homo Europeanus
11/11/2009 05:36 AM
Uh, after reading the comments I wish the whole US would sink into a giant sinkhole...
Thomas
11/11/2009 18:00 PM
I'd rather live in a sink hole than a **** hole like Europe.
Lee
11/12/2009 01:33 AM
I'm from Europe, and I can't be the least bit offended by your comment. It's hillarious! Europe is great, and I love it :)
Guest
11/12/2009 13:04 PM
Agreed! Europe is great - and I usually find both the Europeans and the Americans that talk **** about each other are usually the dumb, ignorant Europeans/Americans that have very little education and fall into the average or below category. Europe and America both have its ups and downs. By the way, isn't MNN an 'American' website? If so, if your European and talking ****, get off our websites.
LPrevolt
11/16/2009 01:04 AM
I'm a 50 year old 7th Generation American, but since 2001 I think sometimes the US Will (and should) fall into a cesspool stinking sink hole of it's own evil making. Only because the politicians have forsaken their own people and Do wrong unto the rest of the world. BTW any room there in Europe for an outcast like me? Because I know idiots here will tell me to Love America or Leave it - Right or wrong! And that is the main problem with our idiotic people today, Especially when America IS.... More
thinker
11/11/2009 05:04 AM
why don't they just fill it up again with water? Does anyone knows why those roads lead to the lake?
GJ
11/11/2009 08:44 AM
The lake wasn't there before, there was a pump house on it which pumped fresh water in, and slurry came out. Slowly, the water dissolved dirt and minerals from the ceiling and deposited them on the floor, making the roof of the cavern, including the pump house, fall through and into the water. Adding more water would only widen the hole. The best way to solve the problem would be to fill it with dirt, but that's expensive.
LPrevolt
11/16/2009 01:20 AM
Of coarse Water Makes it worse, Like a pit dug by the ocean, haven't you ever see the "under ground" water cloapse your pit you dug in the sand at the beach? (I live near Laguna Beach Ca and as a child did this often.) But So does not pumped in water like Rain for that matter... I guess the Only way to make it "better" are to make large black water proof parking lots over the area in trouble so that it can run the water off to a river when it rains and so the tar can soak up the suns heat.... More
Guest
11/11/2009 04:28 AM
Oil company gotta fill the hole. They have the resposibility also if the city collapses, they gotta pay.
Tom
11/11/2009 13:45 PM
Well, actually, insurance companies would probably pay first. Though I'm not actually sure what kind of insurance would cover a sinkhole. Is that even in a policy?
