Assam: Blowout continues at Baghjan OIL well amid measures

The present Status of the Oil India Limited (OIL) well at Baghjan, Tinsukia, Assam is flowing gas uncontrollably amid the austerity measures taken by the oil body and the state government.

Status of Activities for Well Control Operation at Well No. Baghjan-5

• Three experts of Singapore based firm "M/s Alert Disaster Control reached Duliajan in the wee hours of 08-06-2020.

• A meeting was convened by RCE. OIL at Duliajan where the experts from M/s Alert Disaster Control were briefed by representatives of OIL about the progress in the well control operation. After the preliminary discussion and debriefing session, the experts along with the OIL team left for Baghjan Well at around 12 noon.

• The experts from Alert complimented OIL for all the preparatory works carried out so far and mentioned that based on their wide experience of handling over thousand blowouts in around 135 countries all over the world under different conditions they are confident of controlling the well at the earliest with necessary support from OIL. They emphasized that safety of the local people in the area and the technical team working at the well site will be their prime concern while carrying out the operations.

• Both vertical and horizontal lift mechanism of the Hydraulically Driven Mechanical Transporter to be used for Well Control Operation have been completed and tested. The final assembling process is in progress.

• Composite arrangements for subduing (killing) the well is in progress.

• Clearing the site of operation is in progress.

• Arrangement for creating water umbrella for well control operation is in progress. Digging of water reservoir and preparation of placement of high capacity water pumps are in progress.

• Environmental impact assessment study and bio remediation process are in progress.

• NDRF team is assisting the relief operation.

Also read: Assam govt takes stock of OIL’s gas leak at Tinsukia reveal irregularities

Recent protests

On June 5 World Environment Day, hundreds of people including environmentalists and organisations have staged a protest against OIL demanding withdrawal of the drilling project.

The protestors said that a number of animals in the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and its adjacent areas died due to the gas leak.

The original issue

The gross failure of the Oil India Ltd even to curb the gas leak has even posed an existential threat to the wildlife of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, located at around 500-metre distance from the incident spot.

A number of animals including endangered dolphins died in and around the park due to the gas leaked from the BGR 5 well after an explosion occurred when operational work was on.

The blowout happened while workover operations were going on to produce gas from new sand (oil & gas-bearing reservoir) at a depth of 3,729 metres. Earlier, the well was producing around 1 lakh Standard Cubic Metre per day (SCMD) of gas from a depth of 3,870 metres,” an Oil India statement said.

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