DEQ: Tests confirm chloride spilled from well siteDEQ: Tests confirm chloride spilled from well site
By Vickie Welborn • vwelborn@gannett.com • May 6, 2009

Tests of a substance that flowed from a natural gas well site and into a south Caddo Parish pasture, where 17 cows eventually died April 28, indicated the presence of elevated chlorides, the state Department of Environmental Quality confirmed Tuesday.

Still, the state veterinarian has not determined that's what killed the cows, DEQ Northwest Regional Director Otis Randle said.

Sam Irwin, press secretary for the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry, also was unable late Tuesday to confirm whether the state veterinarian who preformed a necropsy on one of the cows has completed his report.

Analysis of the substance also confirmed that it contained oil and grease and some organic compounds.

"But it had a high chloride content," Randle said. He declined to comment on the source of the chloride.

Chlorides, particularly sodium chloride or potassium chloride, can be added to the fluids used during various stages of the hydraulic fracturing treatments to open the underground shale and allow the trapped natural gas to migrate through the pipe.

But chloride, also is naturally occurring in the water that flows back to the surface after the fracturing is completed. The liquid that flowed from the well site pooled in a low area that was accessible by the cows owned by Cecil "Skipper" Williams Jr.

Additional soil samples from a 400-square-foot impact area and fluid in fracturing tanks on site were taken Monday night and were submitted for testing Tuesday.

The results should be known today or Thursday. "We will have a better understanding by then who is responsible," Randle said. Then, DEQ will consider whatever action is "deemed appropriate" against the responsible party, he added.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. owns the Haynesville Shale gas well on state Highway 169. Schlumberger is the completions contractor.