An old methane tank dating back to the 1930s has been found in Hunan Province, according to local cultural relics departments.

Located in a villager's courtyard in Shebu Township, Xiangtan County in the city of Xiangtan, it is made of high quality cement imported from the United States.

The cuboid tank is 5.5 meters long, 3.5 meters wide and 1.1 meters high with a volume of around 26.9 cubic meters.

The well-preserved methane tank serves as evidence that China has a long history of consuming methane, said Sheng Zhaohua, deputy director of Xiangtan Municipal Administration of Cultural Relics.

It was abandoned in the 1940s when the Japanese Army occupied the city.