Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Nov 10: Farmers of Patneshwar village in Sagar district this week were astounded to find gas coming out from a 15-year-old irrigation tubewell. The gas is combustible and is reported to be 99 per cent methane.
Radheshyam Pandey, the owner of the plot, was trying to replace the defunct motor of his tubewell, when it suddenly caught fire due to friction.
Local administration was informed and experts have been sent to collect samples of the gas.
Says Arun Kumar Sandil, a geologist: "The Deccan trap rocks have large amounts of natural gas trapped in their crevices which do occasionally come out. The gases are mostly methane, ethane, helium and neon gases. So far 20 such tubewells have emitted combustible gases".
