Kerala Alappuzha Woman Uses Methane From Failed Borewell Instead Of LPG

Last Updated:March 20, 2026, 11:27 IST

Rethnamma decided not to let the money spent go to waste and asked for the pipe to be connected to her kitchen stove.

As LPG supply concerns continue to affect households across the country due to rising tensions in the Middle East, one family in Kerala has found an unusual way to keep their kitchen running. In Alappuzha, a woman has been cooking for years using gas that comes directly from a borewell in her backyard.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, the incident dates back to 2011, when Rethnamma, a resident of Arattuvazhi in Alappuzha, and her family were trying to dig a borewell to access drinking water. But things did not go as expected, even after digging deep.

Kerala: Failed Borewell Leads To Unexpected Discovery

After crossing a depth of 75 feet, they only got muddy water. They then decided to seal the well.

“We dug the borewell in the hope of clean water, but all we got was muddy water, even after going past 75ft," Rethnamma recalled.

As the plumber began closing the pipe, an unexpected moment changed everything.

“As the plumber was closing the pipe, someone standing nearby lit a match. Suddenly, a flame burst out from the mouth of the well," she told the outlet.

The sudden flame caused panic among those present and for many, it seemed like a dangerous situation that should be avoided altogether.

Daily Use In Kitchen

Rethnamma then decided not to let the money spent go to waste and asked for the pipe to be connected to her kitchen stove.

“We made black coffee first. Nothing unusual, no smell, no difference in taste," she said.

Her husband, Rameshan, was initially worried about the risks involved. “I was terrified. I thought the whole village could go up in flames if something went wrong," he said.

The family remained cautious at first and even kept buckets of water ready overnight in case something went wrong. But nothing unusual happened. The next day, the plumber returned, checked everything again and the gas was used once more.

Over time, their fear slowly faded away. Years later, the family continues to rely on the same borewell gas for cooking all their meals.

For the family, this unexpected discovery has also meant saving money on daily expenses. “We save around Rs 10,000 a year on LPG," Rameshan said.

Experts Confirm Methane

Teams from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) visited confirmed that the gas coming out of the borewell was methane. But they did not find any major underground gas reserves in the area. Traces of similar gas have been reported from nearby borewells too but no other household has attempted to use it for cooking like this family.

Officials have also clarified that there is no legal problem in using such naturally occurring gas. As per the report, GSI Thiruvananthapuram deputy director general Dr V Ambily explained that permissions are required only when gas is extracted for industrial use and commercial purposes. Since this case involves naturally emitted gas from a borewell being used for household cooking, it does not fall under those regulations.

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