Hobbies And Interests
Oil
Oil was first discovered in Louisiana in the early 1900s. Many of the oil deposits on land have been depleted but thousands of miles of pipelines bring oil from the sea floor to inland refineries. Refineries and chemical plants around the state use the crude oil to make a wide range of petroleum products including jet fuel, synthetic rubber and petrochemicals used in the production of fertilizers and plastics.
Natural Gas
According to "Louisiana: The Land and Its People" the state produces more than one-third of the natural gas in the United States. Originally natural gas was mined from reservoirs within limestone and sandstone deposits. In recent years, geologists discovered large reservoirs of natural gas in shale formations in northern Louisiana. This formation, called Haynesville Shale, formed during the Jurassic period and is expected to hold a rich supply of natural gas.
Salt
Louisiana produces more salt than any other state in the U.S. Salt has been an important natural resource for Louisiana since it was first evaporated from salt springs on Avery Island in the 1790s. A century later, salt was first mined from Jefferson Island. Salt domes on five islands off the southwest coast of Louisiana produce most of the state's salt. According to the United States Geological Survey, salt was the top nonfuel mineral produced by the state as recently as 2008. About 37 percent of the Louisiana's nonfuel mineral value comes from salt.
Lignite
Sedimentary rock formations in northwestern Louisiana yield deposits of lignite, a type of coal. Lignite formed from deposits of decayed plant material in ancient marshes approximately 36 to 66 million years ago. Lignite is a soft, brown coal used for fuel in power plants and also in the production of briquettes, fertilizers and feed for livestock. Lignite is also an ingredient in synthetic oil and gas. Strip mining removes the soil and rock, exposing the lignite buried underground. Mining companies reclaim the sites by grading and replanting the land.