Yes, methane has been documented in some Parker County water wells, most famously in the Silverado subdivision in far south Parker County. Whether it came from natural shallow gas or nearby gas drilling is still disputed. Dissolved methane isn't toxic to drink, but it can build up and ignite. A lab test tells you your level, and wells above 10 mg/L warrant venting and monitoring.
Water Well Drilling Weatherford gets asked about methane in well water mostly by people buying property in south Parker County who remember the headlines. The history is real, the science is contested, and the practical answer for a well owner is simpler than either.
What happened in Parker County
In 2010, a homeowner in the Silverado on the Brazos subdivision in far south Parker County reported that gas from the property’s 200-ft water well could be lit at the wellhead. In December 2010, the EPA issued an emergency order against Range Resources, the operator of nearby Barnett Shale gas wells, saying its wells had caused or contributed to contamination of two water wells. In March 2011, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas, found no evidence that Range’s wells were responsible. In March 2012, the EPA withdrew its order under a settlement in which Range agreed to test 20 water wells quarterly for a year.
The science since then has pointed in more than one direction. In 2017, University of Texas at Austin researchers reported that high methane in Parker and Hood county wells most likely came from natural shallow gas deposits, not from fracking in the deeper Barnett Shale. A separate peer-reviewed study published in PNAS in 2014 concluded that drilling was partly responsible for contamination in some Parker County wells. For a well owner deciding what to do today, the source matters less than the level.
What the numbers mean
Dissolved methane is measured by a lab in milligrams per liter. The US Office of Surface Mining’s widely used guidance:
| Dissolved methane | Suggested action |
|---|---|
| Under 10 mg/L | Periodic monitoring |
| 10–28 mg/L | Monitor regularly; remove ignition sources from the wellhead area; consider venting |
| Over 28 mg/L | Take immediate action to reduce methane |
Signs that justify a test
- A gas or “rotten” smell at the wellhead, or water that fizzes or sputters
- Sudden sputtering taps or air in the lines
- Property near past gas development in south Parker or Hood County
- Buying a property where you want a baseline
Methane testing uses a special sealed sample, so it’s collected at the wellhead and delivered to the lab quickly. We add it to a standard well water test on request.
If your level is high
- Vent the well. A vented, screened well cap lets gas escape outdoors rather than into the pump house or home. It’s the cheapest first step.
- Ventilate enclosed spaces. Well houses and pump pits should never be sealed tight on a methane-bearing well.
- Treat if needed. Aeration systems strip methane before water enters the house.
- Retest. Levels can change, and a trend is more useful than a single number.
Bottom line
If you smell gas at the well, see bubbling or sputtering water, or live near past gas development in south Parker or Hood County, get a dissolved methane test. Below 10 mg/L, monitor it. Between 10 and 28 mg/L, vent the well and remove ignition sources. Above 28 mg/L, act immediately.
Questions about your own well? Call (817) 382-3840. A person answers 24/7.
Sources
- Texas Tribune, Methane inquiry closes, but questions linger (2014)
- UT Austin, researchers link methane in Parker and Hood groundwater to natural sources (2017)
- US EPA Office of Inspector General, report on the Range Resources emergency order (2013)
- Penn State Extension, methane gas and its removal from water wells