PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hewitt, J. T.
TI  - Note on Natural Gas at Heathfield Station (Sussex)
AID  - 10.1144/GSL.JGS.1898.054.01-04.39
DP  - 1898 Feb 01
TA  - Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society
PG  - 572--574
VI  - 54
IP  - 1-4
4099  - http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/54/1-4/572.short
4100  - http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/54/1-4/572.full
SO  - Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society1898 Feb 01; 54
AB  - In a boring made for water some months ago at Heathfield Railway-station (L. B. & S. C. R.) an outflow of natural gas was encountered. A cap provided with a cock was placed at the outlet of the boring, and thus the collection of a sample of the gas for analysis was an easy matter. Owing to the courtesy of Mr. R. J. Billinton, the Locomotive Engineer of the London, Brighton, & South Coast Railway, who not only gave me the necessary permission, but also placed every facility at my disposal, I was enabled to take a sample of the gas on Dec. 31st, 1897. Mr. Billinton further informed me that a bed of lignite had been encountered at a depth of about 300 feet; this was of considerable thickness, and was supposed to be the stratum in which the gas had its origin. He very kindly provided me with a specimen of this substance, which one can perhaps better regard as a shale; this also was analysed.The gas was examined for oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, olefines, and hydrocarbon vapours ; these were found to be absent.Analysis of the Shale.In the first place the shale was analysed according to the customary method of carrying out commercial analyses for coal. The following result was obtained:—It should be pointed out thai, very little reliance can be placed on the numbers for volatile matter and fixed carbon, as, owing to the large amount and porous nature of the