Hi Wazuans. I hope this thread belongs here but i stand to be collected. I have some boys hand digging for me a shallow well in shags. They are past 100 ft but have been encountering 'gas' challenge. Apparently there is a gas that seeps from the crust and it can be choking so digging is very slow. Anyone know ho the gas is dealt with. They have been using banana stalks but its not too much.
Where are the wizened ones to help out a brother!

Hey chief, if your boys are already past 90 feet below the surface, they would better be careful not to stay in that hole for more than five minutes continuously in any digging session. Otherwise they may suffer some breathing problems.

There is nothing you can do about the gas unless of course you install an air pump to pump out the gas. But again if you do that, you might suck almost all the air in the hole and your boys will have nothing to breath in.

Now that sounds like an idea

You could work in shifts and recommend the workers take deep breaths and water when on break. Then cheer them on, give them energy and sense of purpose.

Is 90ft really shallow? Seems too dangerous to me. Stop digging until you get expert opinion.

Identify the gas first , you may be courting disaster .... , you might have Hydrogen sulfide , and you may end up drinking hydrosulfuric acid , invest in litmus paper and do a litmus test.

fyi : Above gas is poisonous and corrosive oh plus explosive too.

Seriously?? .Go back to your chem teacher and ask for a refund. . I would go with having the gas identified first especially for toxicity and combustibility.You see,it might take one strike on a rock and Ka-boom,explosion.