News Brief

State places moratorium on new drilling near interstates

Louisiana’s Office of Conservation announced Tuesday a moratorium on drilling oil and gas wells within a quarter-mile of an interstate highway.

The 120-day moratorium on issuing new drilling permits near interstate highways begins Dec. 1, said Jim Welsh, the state’s Commissioner of Conservation. Welsh oversees the Office of Conservation, a division of the state Department of Natural Resources that regulates oil and gas drilling in the state

Tuesday’s emergency order came after a natural gas well blow-out and fire near Interstate 10 in Iberville Parish on Nov. 15. That incident resulted in the closing of I-10 across the Atchafalaya Basin until the well is capped. The cause of the blow-out remains under investigation.

“Governor Blanco asked this office to take immediate steps to protect public safety by reviewing our rules about permitting drilling near major highways,” Welsh said.

“This moratorium gives us the opportunity to carefully re-examine our regulations including any necessary changes in the documents applicants submit, in our approval process and possibly recommending changes in legislation,” Welsh said.

Related:

• Emergency Complaince Notice
• Summary of steps required for wellhead access prior to capping