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Massive fire at Assam’s Baghjan oil well that has been spewing gas for two weeks
Large plumes of smoke are emanating from the well, located at Baghjan, and can be seen several kilometers away from the site close to Dibru Saikhowa National Park and the eco-sensitive Maguri Mottapung wetland.
The natural gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district that has been spewing gas and condensate, caught fire on Tuesday — 13 days after it had a blowout.
Large plumes of smoke are emanating from the well, located at Baghjan, and can be seen several kilometers away from the site close to Dibru Saikhowa National Park and the eco-sensitive Maguri Mottapung wetland.
“The fire broke out at 1:40 pm at the site. The reason for the outbreak is not ascertained yet. Apart from a fireman of Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), who sustained a minor injury, no one else has been injured,” said Jayant Bormudoi, senior manager (corporate communication), OIL.
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The fire broke out at the well a day after three experts from a Singapore-based firm Alert Disaster Control had reached the site to attempt plugging the well.
“The experts were not present at the site when the fire broke out. They were attending meetings at OIL’s office in Duliajan. There’s no immediate threat to residents of the area, who have already been shifted beyond a radius of 1.5 kilometres from the well,” Bormudoi added.
The Baghjan well had reported the blowout on May 27 while work was underway to produce gas from a new oil and gas-bearing reservoir at a depth of 3,729 metres.
A blow out is an uncontrolled release of crude oil or gas from a well, when pressure control systems fail.
Around 2,000 people living near the well have been shifted to four relief camps after the May 27 incident.
