Small puddle of liquid under gas water heater control unit

Factual Questions
1

Every 2 months or so, the pilot light on my water heater goes on, and I have to go relight it. This time around I notice that there’s a puddle of some sort of liquid in front of the unit. The thing in front of the tank, that regulates the temperature, has the gas line go through it, etc.

The liquid has no strong smell and seems mostly clear, except that it leaves a grease-like residue on your finger if you touch it. There’s no strong smell, there may be some sort of smell but I’m kind of stuffed up today and can’t detect it. I don’t think it’s mostly water or it would very quickly evaporate out here.

So is it some sort of natural gas residue from a malfunctioning regulator unit or something? Is it dangerous? Do I need the unit serviced?

2

It could just be condensation especially if it’s humid. The gas coming in could be cooler than the ambient temp near the water heater. Also a byproduct of combustion is water. The greasy feel could be other things caught in the condensation such as dust.

I’d be tempted to take the liquid outside and put a match to it. If it ignites, well, then it’s certainly not water.

3

I have seen this before.

I have no clue.