A world going on underground: The state is considering creating a program that would allow leased lands to be consolidated and operational costs shared for ultra-deep drilling, The (Houma) Courier reports. While current law already permits this sort of “pooling” for wells exceeding a true vertical depth of 15,000 feet, the proposal from House Natural Resources Chairman Gordon Dove creates a new category for those eclipsing 22,000 feet. “This is a new horizon for the oil and gas industry in Louisiana,” says Dove, R-Houma. “It could be just what we need to encourage investors to go deeper.” Lawmakers will vote on House Bill 504 during the coming weeks, but it will first be heard by the committee Dove oversees. Read the full story here.
All in: B. Cheryl Smith, tribal chief of the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, says plans for a casino that has been a decade in the making have been finalized, and tribal leaders hope the casino will be open by the end of this year in the Creola community in south Grant Parish. Julie Wilkerson, an attorney for the tribe, says construction is to begin next week on a Class II casino on a piece of land off U.S. Highway 167 near Dry Prong. A Class II casino can have poker tables and gaming machines. The (Alexandria) Town Talk has the full story here.
Pumped: Despite steep prices at the pump, today might be a good day to fill up your vehicle with gas. IberiaBank says it will have representatives at random stations throughout south Louisiana to give away $12,500 worth of free gas. The promotion is a part of the bank’s 125th anniversary celebration. On Tuesday, bank executives were in New York to ring the NASDAQ opening bell, and the bank is also giving away iPads at each of its branches through the end of April.
Today’s poll question: How will the LSU parking pass price hikes affect your game-day experience this fall?
