Natural Hydrogen Fire
In 1987, well diggers had drilled a well for water, but had given up on one dry borehole at a depth of 108 meters. According to the source reported in the References, wind was coming out of the hole. When one driller peered into the hole while smoking a cigarette, the so-called wind exploded in his face. A huge fire followed, without smoke, looking bluish at daytime and colour and goldish at night. The crew needed weeks before being able to stop the fire and cap the well. The well remained capped until 2007, when well gas was analysed and revealed to consist in hydrogen with a purity of 98%.
Event Date
January 1, 1987
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Cause Comments
The existence of natural hydrogen, also called white hydrogen or geological hydrogen, was scarcely known even among geologists.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
water well
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Countryside
Operational Condition
Pre-event Summary
This well in Mali has been the first recognized natural (or geological) hydrogen well. It is also exploited for production of energy.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
The drilling company was looking for water. They 'wind' coming from the well could have been just air, or any type of gas. Without dedicated detection system and characteristic odours, it is almost impossible to identify with certainty the presence and composition of combustible gases.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
The crew needed weeks before being able to stop the fire and cap the well.
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References
This story has been shortly told in several scientific publications. The one with the most details is in Science, Vol 379, Issue 6633.
https://www.science.org/content/article/hidden-hydrogen-earth-may-hold-…
(accessed July 2023)