Assam Baghjan fire doused after 104 days
GUWAHATI | SEPT 07, 2020:
The team of experts and professionals successfully stopped the vertical release of gas from Oil India Limited's (OIL) well number five at Baghjan by diverting the gas to four areas on Monday, official sources confirmed.
The shift in strategy has reaped success after 104 days since the blowout (uncontrolled escape of gas at very high pressure) from the well in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district on May 27, 2020, and three months after the well caught fire on June 9, 2020.
An OIL spokesperson said the fire from the wellhead had stopped on Monday morning after the gas was diverted to four areas – two flare pits set up near the well where gas is being burnt and two other areas at Baghjan EPS (Early Production System).
"The entire exercise of diversion of gas will be observed for about five-six hours to guard against any leaks, etc. Till now, the operation has been smooth," the spokesperson said on Monday afternoon.
Over 100 professionals from overseas and the oil company are engaged in the operations at Baghjan.
This is, in all probability, the first time in the country that such diversion of gas from a natural gas producing wellhead has taken place with success.
OIL authorities have been exploring alternative options for well control operations after a series of failed attempts to "kill the well" following technical snags, the latest being on August 19, 2020,
The OIL spokesperson further said that the latest strategy shift would also help solve problems such as noise and air pollution in the area and bring much-needed relief to the local people.
It may be noted that several houses beside farmland areas have been damaged by the raging fire from the wellhead over the past three months, causing immense problems for residents, most of who are yet to be provided compensation.
Assam's industry and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had recently told the Assembly that the final well-killing operation at the Baghjan blowout site in Tinsukia district might take another two months as OIL had decided to partially divert the natural gas for controlling the fire at the wellhead.
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