KTBS 3 News | Shreveport, LA: ArkLaTex News - Cows that died had ingested chemicals spilled at well site

Posted: Jun 24, 2009 4:25 PM
Updated: Jun 24, 2009 6:38 PM

Seventeen head of cattle that died in a pasture adjacent to a natural gas drilling site earlier this year had ingested chemicals that had contaminated pools of rainwater after a spill at the well site, Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator said today.

"There was a runoff of chemicals from the well. The runoff from the well pooled, the cows drank it and died from it," Prator said after a meeting with the district attorney and representatives of the state's agriculture, environmental and natural-resources departments.

State officials had not released information about what killed the cows. Prator said people who live around the well need to know what happened. There is no risk to residents or animals around the well, Prator said.

The cows died in April at a site off Louisiana 169 in far south Caddo Parish. Their owner had about 40 beef cows with calves in the pasture. There were rain puddles in the field -- and those were contaminated by the spill, authorities said.

The Sheriff's Department, D.A.'s office and state Department of Environmental Quality are still investigating the failure of Schlumberger, the well-service company, to promptly tell authorities about the spill, Prator said.

"We believe that if they had timely notified, the cows would still be alive," Prator said. "The oil and gas companies are good community neighbors, but if something goes wrong we'd better be the first one you call."

Schlumberger, in a letter to authorities, said it has reiterated to its employees the requirements on notification of a spill at a well site.

Prator said his office will bill Chesapeake Energy, the owner of the well, just under $2,000 for the cost of the Sheriff's Department investigation, including overtime and fuel costs.

Low + − !

prong49 at Jun 25th 2009 9:36 AM

Prator wake up come to the real world smell the roses you bone head. First and foremost it is YOUR JOB to investigate so you should not be charging somebody for what the tax payer is already paying you to do. Ans secondly you better stop and thank Chesapeake because if not for them our economy would be even worse then the union boneheads are going to get another plant shut down.

Neutral + − !

Joshua at Jun 25th 2009 1:39 PM

What chemical compound(s) was(were) spilled at the site? This information should be in your report.

Dug at Jun 25th 2009 1:44 PM

I don't have any issues with the Sheriff billing Chesapeake Energy to get back our tax dollars. chesapeake is responsible for this spill and if it had been reported it wouldn't have had to be investigated in the first place and could have been cleaned up properly. I can only hope that you prong49 live close to this spill and hopefully you get some of the chemicals in your drinking water, i don't want you to die, only to get really bad sick !!. I can assure you that Chesapeake Energy could care less about you, your children or cows. I hope the Sheriff has informed the EPA about this spill so they will make sure that Chesapeake cleans it up and fines the heck out of them for not reporting it.

prong49 at Jun 26th 2009 12:57 AM

Yes Dug I live in the area and No I am not concerned like you feel I should be. Please read a little closer also, it says Schlumberger did not report, it doesn't say Chesapeake did not report. It's kinda like children you can tell them what to do but it doesn't mean they listen. But I want to emphasize that the problem of not reporting I feel sure goes back to an individual not wanting to get in trouble, it doesn't go back to the policy or practice of either company. The general public is so far out on this type of thing because all they see is another way to get another dollar out of big companies. Then 5 minutes later complain because the cost of gas for their car or utilities at home are so high. Well they can't operate at a loss after the sue happy people and lawyers get through with them. Maybe they should let you run out of gas in your car and go without power in your home....see how that works out for you. About the same as that change thaqt got voted in. NOT