KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Haynesville Shale 'black rain' after blowout

Haynesville Shale 'black rain' after blowout

By Jeff Ferrell – bio|email

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) – Fifteen families got the ‘all clear' to return home Friday, two days after a gas well explosion forced their evacuation in north DeSoto Parish, 35-miles south of Shreveport.  But, the dust is still settling on the case and on their properties

A property owner even gave us a bag of the black, sticky dust which feels a bit like play dough.  "This is what's fallen in the middle of the road down here," said that nearby property owner.  Not wanting his face shown, nor his full name used, the man told us to simply call him "Mr. Thompson." 

Mr. Thompson's property lies a quarter mile from the site of Wednesday's (11/18/09) gas well blow-out, about 3-miles east of Grand Cane, Louisiana.  "I want to find out what this black residue stuff is," said Thompson. 

KSLA News 12 is told that black, sticky dust is actually shale shot-up through the busted gas well before falling back to the ground in a kind of ‘black rain.'  Thompson's biggest fear:  "My kids.  You know, they're liable to show up in ten years with some type of cancer because of this stuff." 

Otis Randle, Regional Manager for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), told me over the phone that the black dust is very common at gas well explosions and said it is quote, "nothing really to be concerned about," and that quote, "a good rain will wash it away." 

Randle said that's why his field crews took no soil samples for further testing.  We know that Chesapeake Energy, which owns the well, took samples for testing.  Thompson told us, he was assured he would be compensated financially if that testing found toxic levels.

In fact, during our visit a Chesapeake employee arrived at Thompson's home.  But the employee quickly told us to shut-off our camera or he'd be forced to leave and come back at a later time.  We obliged and turned off the camera.

That Chesapeake employee soon left, along with testing contractor Jones Environmental, traveling right behind him in their own vehicle.  Only then did Mr. Thompson bring out his digital camera to show photos he took near the gas well after the explosion. 

Thompson began to narrate, "this here is a truck that came out from back there.  The truck is white.  It's supposed to be white.  It's covered in black dust." 

Thompson also fears for his animals and said he's not alone.  "A guy, he asked me not to say his name, with you know another government agency, told me if it was his horses and stuff they wouldn't eat none of this hay or water that's been exposed to it." 

Mr. Thompson expects to hear about any compensation from Chesapeake, for exposure to that black dust, after the Thanksgiving holiday.  We'll keep you posted.

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