Irrigation well found leaking gas in Noakhali

Instead of pumping out water, an irrigation well in Subarnachar upazila, Noakhali has been found leaking gas. Locals said Jamal Uddin, a native of Keramatput village, drilled the 420-foot deep well using four-inch diameter pipe near the entrance of his home about two months ago. In the beginning, Jamal was able to draw out some groundwater through the well, but the water flow started decreasing and stopped completely after a few days. However, while the water supply dried up, the gas emission began. Jamal as well as his neighbours heard bubbling sound coming out of the pipe. When they lit a matchstick over the mouth of the well to check if it was gas, it ignited. Jamal said he managed to bring the fire under control by using some jute sacks. As word spread out about the water-turned-gas well, people from all across the Subarnachar upazila are flocking towards Jamal's house to see the flaming mouth of the well. Subarnachar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Abu Wadud and Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd's (BGDCL's) Noakhali Office Manager Md Sahab Uddin visited Jamal's house on Thursday to investigate the matter. Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Shahab Uddin said after each ignition, the flame at the well's mouth rises upto the height of one-and-a-half to two feet. “From the first look, it appears to be pocket gas,” he added. He further said he would notify Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (Bapex) about the discovery.