Some kind of Well on my property What is it?

[kcflhrc]

So our new to us home, built in 1970 with 10 acres has this well on the property of some sort. Only thing left there is about a 10 or 12 inch round steel pipe sticking out of the ground and a smaller PVC pipe coming up through the middle of it with a valve. When I open the valve air or gas or something comes out for just a little while then it slows down. If I close it then open it back up it will build pressure again. Not a lot of pressure but still pressure. Odor kinda smells like a refinery. There is water in the bottom of this steel pipe. Any ideas what it is? Hopefully just an old windmill site? Thoughts???

Thank you

 

[zzvyb6]

Figure out if its natural gas before you get hurt or burned. Then drop a fishing line down it to see how deep it is. Could the smell be sulfur? If so, then it might be an old irrigation well.

 

[kcflhrc]

Definitely could be a sulfur smell. Being PVC I doubt it is gas but I'm just guessing.

 

[therealmjfox]

Figure out if its natural gas before you get hurt or burned. Then drop a fishing line down it to see how deep it is. Could the smell be sulfur? If so, then it might be an old irrigation well.

I thought natural gas was odorless and the odor you smell in consumer gas is added by the gas company for safety (so you can detect leaks with your nose)

 

[kcflhrc]

I thought natural gas was odorless and the odor you smell in consumer gas is added by the gas company for safety (so you can detect leaks with your nose)

You are correct, the odor is added by the Gas Company.

 

[MossRoad]

Pictures perhaps?

 

[kcflhrc]

I will snap a pic this weekend and post back next week.

Thank you

 

[Looking4new]

It could be an old natural gas well. The 'water' on the bottom could well be salty water, which will slow/stop the gas from rising.

 

[/pine]

From the description it sounds like a typical cased well...lots of variations/modifications possible...

can you lift the PVC at all ? it could be a single jet or even a submersible... or just a foot valve on the end...

 

[MossRoad]

From the description it sounds like a typical cased well...lots of variations/modifications possible...

can you lift the PVC at all ? it could be a single jet or even a submersible... or just a foot valve on the end...

I'll bet you're right. Our well is just a 4" casing with a 1.5" PVC pipe inside it with a submersible pump attached to the end of the PVC.