Lake vanishes in hours

A peaceful lake in Louisiana, only 3 meters deep, disappeared in a matter of hours when a drilling bit accidentally pierced an abandoned salt mine gallery. This event occurred on November 20, 1980, when a Texaco drilling team was searching for oil near Jefferson Island.

Drilling hits old mine

The drilling bit struck the third level of the Diamond Crystal Salt Company's mine, which had been in operation since 1919 and extended down to 460 meters below the surface. Lake Peigneur, a freshwater lake just 3 meters deep, was located directly above this geological structure.

Salt dissolves, lake drains

When the breach was opened, the salt began dissolving in the freshwater, enlarging the hole over time. The lake then drained into the mine like a giant funnel, swallowing eleven barges, a tugboat, a loading dock, and dozens of hectares of land.

Canal reverses, lake turns salty

After the lake was drained, the Delcambre Canal, which normally connects the lake to the Gulf of Mexico, began to flow in reverse. Saltwater from the Gulf rushed in, creating a 50-meter-high cascade that refilled the void. The lake eventually refilled, but it became salty and much deeper, now reaching about 60 meters.

Legal issues remain unresolved

The legal case surrounding the incident was never fully resolved. The Mine Safety and Health Administration could not determine whether the drilling team had targeted the wrong location or if the mine maps contained errors. Texaco and the drilling company Wilson Brothers paid 32 million dollars to Diamond Crystal in 1983.

Salt dome used for gas storage

Since 1994, the salt dome responsible for the disaster has been used for underground storage of pressurized natural gas. However, concerns remain, as a judge canceled a permit in 2014 for creating new cavities, highlighting the need for caution at this site. Lake Peigneur remains a case study for geologists and mining engineers, illustrating the delicate balance between surface and subsurface.