If energy prices skyrocket, will it make sense to dig your own natural gas well in your backyard?
Just to get enough natural gas to heat your house.
I don’t mean a gas company should dig a well in your back yard. I mean does it make sense for you to dig your own, just to get enough gas for your house? How deep would it have to be?
January 31st, 2010 at 5:40 am
You have to dig deep enough to hit the gas line. It would probably be several feet down.
January 31st, 2010 at 5:40 am
Before you start digging you should be sure there ids gas there. A well can cost several million dollars. I have been very fortunate. In 1980 they dug a well on my place and in the contract, I get free gas for my house. However, most companies will not let you put that in your contract now.
January 31st, 2010 at 5:40 am
Possibly, but definitely NOT one per backyard…maybe something like one per neighborhood??
Personally, I don’t think the government/authorities would ever do that on a vast scale for a few reasons…
1. Money- It’d take WAYYY too much money to dig, construct, and re-route all those natural gas pipelines (all the wells have to be connected to the pipeline network, of course…). Sure, they could save tons of money in the overall picture, but as far as the present is concerned, they’ll go bankrupt trying to fund a project like that.
2. Maintenance- That’d be a nightmare trying to keep those pipes in usable condition…
3. Location- It’s unbelievable how many pipes and wires run underneath the ground; room for yet another vast network of pipes would be scarcely found if not impossible..
4. Safety/Law- More wells, more access, to long channels of pipeline, mean less control. Less control means more devastating accident occurrences. What if an unsuspecting person opens their gas well only to receive flames erupting and burning down their neighborhood?? How long would it take before someone can stop the problem?? Wouldn’t vandalism be a big issue too??
…but who knows??… maybe that will happen sometime in the future (not anytime soon, though), just like people might convert over to nuclear energy. People are starting to realize that fossil fuels produce a TON of pollution. Nuclear energy actually produces less pollution…
January 31st, 2010 at 5:40 am
Not in my backyard. There is no gas, coal, or oil there. If someone invents a furnace that runs on regular old rocks, then I’ll be all set.
January 31st, 2010 at 5:40 am
The cost would be out of site for one person to pay. First you need to find out if there is any gas down there and how deep. (Cost) Next you need to buy/lease the mineral rights from your neighbors. Now the deeper you go the more neighbors you will need these mineral rights from. (Cost) If they will only lease to you then you will need to pay them each time you remove gas. (On Going Cost) If there is gas, now you need to drill for it. (Huge Cost)
If drilling brings in a wet well then you need to build a crack plant. This makes it possible to remove the gas from the condensate. (Big Cost)
Do you see all the "Ifs" and "Costs" so far? I have not even got to all taxes, fees and government B.S. you would have to pay for as well. So when do you want to start drilling?