Courtesy of
Jessica Ball at Magma Cum Laude:
That’s right – it’s
under a waterfall! The flame is sheltered just enough that it doesn’t go out very often (although it’s always a good idea to bring a lighter along if you’re going to visit). Gas wells in this area are generally drilled into the
Medina Group (a collection of sandsones and shales, which you can see exposed in the base of Niagara Falls to the north), but the seep itself is in the
Hanover Shale, which apparently also has a bit of gas in it.
There's much more to that post, including some more lovely photographs, so do make sure you go. And, incidentally, who wants to take a road trip with me?
i don't think we can get to wester new york before my cartoon post at firedoglake tomorrow nite :(
ReplyDeleteVery cool indeed! Thanks for sharing the link.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that in the area of the Trenton Gas Fields in IN before about 1880 there were similar features. Then they found the natural gas build glass plants (why were Ball Brothers mason jars made in Muncie,IN-- There was a lot of cheap natural gas in the 1900 time frame so they build glass factories. Of course this gas field was a perfect example of how not to develop a gas field, they drilled and drilled, so that the wells exhausted them selves fast. (The Trenton Gas and the Lima Oh Oil are from the same formation). I suspect a few farms may still get a little production from the zone today.
ReplyDelete