Ortech Consulting Inc. offers odor testing and methane gas analysis services to businesses. Their offices are located at 804 Southdown Road Mississauga, ON L5J 2Y4 (905) 822-4120. Visit http://www.ortechconsulting.com for more information.

1. Is It Possible to Test for
Methane in Water?

2. What is Methane?
Methane is a gas that is both colourless and odourless,
meaning it is impossible to distinguish when you come
into contact with it.
Methane is lighter than air, and while it is not considered
a toxic substance, there are still precautions that must
be taken when dealing with it.
Methane can be found naturally in several different
situations.

3. Where Is Methane Found?
Some of the places that methane gas may be found,
include:
• Decomposed plant and animal matter
• Landfills
• Coal mines
• Waste water treatment facilities
Even though methane isn’t toxic on its own, it can be
dangerous, and methane gas testing is an important
discipline.

4. Is Methane Dangerous?
When methane comes into contact with other
substances, the ‘harmless’ tag can get thrown out the
window.
Methane is highly flammable, and when introduced to
heat, sparks or flames it may ignite. In the air, methane
is explosive when volumes reach 5 to 15 percent.
When contained in confined spaces, methane has the
potential to displace oxygen, which in turn makes for a
dangerous situation.

5. What Are the Risks?
If you aren’t careful with methane and don’t respect
what it can do, some of the risks include:
• Asphyxiation - if methane displaces oxygen to the
point where oxygen levels fall below 10 percent,
asphyxiation is a possibility.
• Explosion - oil rigs and mining projects have
encountered deadly explosions in the past, when the
methane levels have risen too high. Methane gas
testing is a must when any type of ignitor is present.

6. Risks cont…
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - natural gas consists of 97
percent methane, and without proper ventilation it’s
possible to suffer carbon monoxide poisoning from your
residential heating system.

7. Methane in Well Water
It is possible to find methane gas in well water, when
the right circumstances are present. If a well is not
properly cased, methane can migrate into the well
water. In some cases, the gas might also be present
naturally.
Methane may also be present in an aquifier, existing as
a dissolved gas within the water. As the well is
pumped, the water level gets lower which lowers the
well pressure, releasing more gas from the water.
Methane gas testing in water is important in these
situations.

8. Testing for Methane in Water
It is possible to test for methane in water, but it must be
handled carefully and by highly trained technicians.
Collecting the water sample is of the utmost importance
because the methane moves into the gas phase quickly
and easily, which will give a false impression of how
much is actually in the water.
If you require methane gas testing from water samples,
it’s always best to consult a qualified lab as as first step.
Lab results will indicate the percent concentration of
methane in the water.

9. How to Remove Methane From Well
Water
Venting pressure and heating water are two ways to get the
methane out. Using a galvanized pressure tank along with
an automatic air vent lets the gas escape into the air.
However, larger volumes of methane may be too much for
just a vented pressure tank, and a cistern with a vent and
spray unit might be necessary. Whatever the situation,
respect the gas and get professional advice before you
proceed.

10. References
Ortech Consulting Inc. offers odor testing and methane gas
analysis services to businesses. Their offices are located at
804 Southdown Road Mississauga, ON L5J 2Y4 (905) 822-
4120. Visit http://www.ortechconsulting.com for more
information.