Assam oil well continues to lose gas a week later, Singapore experts cornered

On May 27, a large explosion occurred at the Baghjan 5 gas producing well below the Baghjan oil field.

Guwahati

As an Oil India Limited (OIL) natural gas producing well in Assam’s upper Tinsukia district continues to spill gas even after a week of an explosion, a team of Singapore experts is slated to arrive in the state on Wednesday to plug The escape. .

The development came after Prime Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called Union Oil and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday and sought help for foreign experts to repair the damage.

On May 27, a large explosion occurred at the gas producing well in the village of Baghjan under the Baghjan oil field.

At least 3,000 people within a 1.5 km radius of the oil well have been transferred to relief camps.

Previously, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation or ONGC killing experts were transferred from Vadodara de Gujarat, which had been in constant contact with experts in the matter based in the United States.

“The team will lend their expertise to plug the blowout. Until now, at least two ONGC teams, Vadodara and Nazira in Assam, have attempted to close the well,” a source said. in the office of the Prime Minister of Assam, he said.

Prime Minister Sarbananad Sonowal has been in constant contact with Dharmendra Pradhan by phone to inform the latter about the condition of the well.

Pradhan assured Sonowal that, in addition to the team of experts, a joint secretary of the Union Oil Ministry was also directed to the site to take stock of the situation, said a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.

A blowout is an uncontrolled release of crude oil and / or natural gas from an oil or gas well. This happens after the pressure control systems fail.

Locals alleged that the outbreak caused a massive oil spill in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, about 3 km from the well, home to the Gangetic River dolphins and Hoolock Gibbons, both endangered according to the IUCN Red List. .

Baghjan village residents claimed they had seen the body of a dolphin on the banks of the Maguri Beel wetlands, part of the national park.

Just one kilometer from the field are the Maguri-Motapung wetlands, an ecotourism site. The Dibru Saikhowa National Park state sanctuary is a biodiversity area recognized by migratory birds.

Mr. Sonowal informed the Union Minister, Pradhan, of the cascading effect of the incident on the surrounding area and on residents of the peripheral areas. He also asked the Union Minister for adequate compensation for the victims, the source said in the office of the Chief Minister.