Assam: ‘Killing’ Baghjan well may take 18-20 days, says OIL

GUWAHATI: Oil India Limited (OIL) on Friday said a massive operation to regain control of Well 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district, which is still throwing out towering jets of fire since it exploded four days ago, has been launched but expects the actual ‘killing of well’ to take place in the next 18 to 20 days.
In the meanwhile, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas has set up a three-member high-level committee headed by SCL Das, Director General of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), to probe the well blowout and the subsequent fire in which two firemen of OIL were killed. This is the third probe after OIL’s internal enquiry and the second enquiry by additional chief secretary that was ordered by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday.
‘Production hit in 66 wells due to stir’
OIL spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika said, “A detailed draft plan for well-control operation has been drawn up by the team of experts from M/s Alert. Singapore along with ONGC and OIL team and is being executed. The experts have told us that it would take 25 to 28 days but we are trying to shorten the period and we are looking at 18 to 20 days to finally kill the well.”
He added that the presence of gas, noise level and air quality in the vicinity of the site is being constantly monitored and a detailed draft plan for well-control operation has been drawn up by the team of experts and submitted to the ministry.
“We have also mobilized some specialized equipment like high pressure pumps from ONGC. More than 80% of the equipment are with OIL. The first load of equipment mobilized from ONGC, Sivasagar has reached Duliajan and will be sent to the site after inspection by the experts. One vehicle carrying equipment from ONGC, Rajamundry is on the way,” Hazarika said.
The petroleum ministry’s probe team comprises BC Bora, former chairman of ONGC and TK Sengupta, former director ONGC.
They will identify the lapses in following laid down protocols and procedures which led to the incident and recommend short and long-term measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, including identifying gaps in laid down standard operating procedures. The committee will have to submit its report within one month
A statement from OIL stated that production operations were stopped and disrupted at 66 oil wells and gas wells by students’ organisations and locals at Makum, Barekuri, Hapjan, Lankashi, Nagajan, Hebeda and Dhakul areas, leading to loss of crude oil and gas production.
“Drilling operations were stopped and disrupted at four locations and workover operations by students’ organisations and local people at Baghjan, Barekuri, Dhakul. Boraloni and R Borhapjan area. Crude oil transportation through Bowser operation was carried out with the help of security at several places while some Bowsers are stranded due to blockades by locals,” the statement said.
Assam additional chief secretary Maninder Singh, who will probe the Baghjan incident at the directive of the chief minister, left for Baghjan on Friday along with additional principal conservator of forest (Wildlife) MK Yadava who will be conducting a study on the effects of the explosion incident on the environment and ecology of the surrounding areas.