Anchored by a new building and a renewed sense of purpose, Baton Rouge’s Water Institute of the Gulf is turning its gaze to enduring issues plaguing two Louisiana ports in hopes that it can use scientific research and modeling to generate solutions.
As 10/12 Industry Report details in a feature from the second quarter issue, the newest addition to the 35-acre not-for-profit institute, the Center for Coastal & Deltaic Solutions along the banks of the Mississippi River supports these efforts.
At Port Fourchon, researchers are currently working a two-pronged initiative to determine the cost-worthiness of dredging the port’s canal to 50 feet and to also recommend potential environmental applications for the dredged material.
Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson says the deeper draft could ultimately attract businesses in the offshore of the repair and refurbishing market. He estimates that about $100 million in potential service work leaves the U.S. annually due to inadequate service capacity.
“The models can crunch the numbers in a way that we obviously cannot,” says Water Institute President and CEO Justin Ehrenwerth. “We look at various scenarios—if we put the material here versus here, where will we get the best wave attenuation benefits or best erosion prevention benefits?”
Working in a similar manner, the institute recently compiled data at the Port of Lake Charles, which has long been plagued by a narrowing channel. Port of Lake Charles Executive Director Bill Rase fears dredging issues in the Calcasieu Ship Channel will one day severely restrict his port’s ability to support growth in the LNG market.
“The channel needs 97 million cubic yards of disposal capacity for dredged material,” Rase said at a 2017 Louisiana Oil and Gas Association meeting, adding that only 5 million is currently available. He estimates the cost to keep the ship channel open in a deep draft capacity will be $79 million over the next 20 years.
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