wellhead gas

   / wellhead gas #1  

moosetracks

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
47
Location
West Central WV
Tractor
Kubota B7610, Gravely L
Does anybody have any experience burning well head gas in heating and cooking appliances??
Wondered if there were any major problems.

Moosetracks
 
   / wellhead gas #2  
Great idea............wonder if it would worK?


TBAR
 
   / wellhead gas #3  
It really depends on the gas composition, pressure and rate of flow. It can be done and has been done but is not advisable. Get a few liquid carry overs and you may just burn down what ever is around the stove.

Egon
 
   / wellhead gas #4  
Works great, IF the gas doesn't have too much Hydrogen Sulfide (a deadly but flammable poison), Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, or other contaminants. Or, too much condensate or water. And you have a big enough regulator to handle large changes in line pressure.

Bottom line, it is possible and safe with all the right equipment constantly maintained (separator, regulators, etc., etc.), but not advisable for the average layman householder. Unless you are both owner and pumper of the well, you will be much safer and happier with Propane.

Pete
 
   / wellhead gas #5  
In the area where I live, there a bunch of gas/oil wells. A friend used to maintain the wells. He told me how many of the people who lived on the properties had gas lines hooked to the wells for household use. Most of these people used regular black plastic water line to get the gas from well head to the house. The plastic would deteriorate after about 10 years. His job was to go out and shut gas off until home owner replaced line.
Gas did not have smell that normal natural gas has. They had some kind of detector to tell if there was a leak.
 
   / wellhead gas #6  
Normal natural gas is almost odorless unless it contains some H2S which does smell and is dangerous.

Natural gas for commercial used has mercapton added to give it an odor.

Egon
 
   / wellhead gas #7  
It used to be done all over Texas and Oklahoma. It was often part of the lease agreement that the leaseholder/land owner had access to wellhead gas for domestic purposes. I don't think it's done much any more because of liability issues. Now whether it's a good idea or not ... that's a different thing. As others have said there are a lot of things that can go wrong, most if not all of them bad.
 
   / wellhead gas #8  
Frank, I'd never seen that done with natural gas in this part of the country, although in Oklahoma as a kid, I heard of folks using "drip gas" (gasoline) in their cars. However, when I was doing gas leakage surveys, I spent a couple of months in Ohio and found quite a number of homes that had both gas from wells on their property as well as lines and meters from the local gas company.
 
   / wellhead gas #9  
I know of about 6 families in eastern KY that have free gas from the oil wells on their property. Only problem I know of is that sometimes the moisture in the pipes will freeze off the gas flow at the wellhead if they forget to dump the moisture trap periodically. The oderless quality is not an issue as the natural gas in that area seems to be naturally stinky.
Wish I had the same deal here, would have a very warm workshop /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ben
 
   / wellhead gas #10  
Its done all over western PA. Either as part of the lease or private wells. If you have access to a well it can be real economical, but I was told by gas guys that there is no such thing as "free" gas. You either lease the well out, or you have the expense for maint and bailing it out every few years. Still cheaper than buying it.
 
 
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