Why Oil well in Assam leaking gas uncontrollably?

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change gave environmental clearance for drilling at seven locations under the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. However, OIL has maintained that they are drilling with requisite permissions from the Government of India and that these areas do not fall under the Eco Sensitive Zone.

Ground Report | News Desk

An oil well in Assam continues is still leaking gas “uncontrollably” after a blowout a week ago. There was a blowout last Wednesday in the well of gas in Assam of the public sector Oil India Ltd. Since then, the area around the plant in Tinsukia district is being evacuated.

On Monday, the government-owned Oil India Limited (OIL), which owns the rig, said in a statement that it has reached out to global experts to control the blowout.

The statement from OIL said that it was “awaiting the observations and findings of the District Administration, Forest department, Pollution Control Board so that all necessary steps can be taken.” OIL has also earned the ire of environmentalists when last month, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change gave environmental clearance for drilling at seven locations under the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. However, OIL has maintained that they are drilling with requisite permissions from the Government of India and that these areas do not fall under the Eco Sensitive Zone.

The blowout at Baghjan occurred at 10.30 am on May 27, while work was underway to produce gas from a new oil and gas reservoir at a depth of 3,729 metres statement of OIL said.

“The operation to contain the blowout requires a large amount of water and lot of heavy machinery. Therefore, it will take several days to put everything in place before the actual effort to control the well can start,” OIL spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika said in a statement.

A water reservoir is being dug near the well to place two 2,500-gallon pumps and a pipeline is being laid from a nearby river to ensure continuous supply of water. OIL and Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) personnel are pumping water to the well to minimise the chances of a fire.

It has been assessed that approach to the vicinity of the well would not be safe due to gas gushing at high pressure. Hence, necessary equipment is being mobilised and fit-for-purpose equipment is being fabricated at OIL workshop,” OIL said in a statement on Tuesday.

What was the reason for the explosion?

It is known that whenever the pressure inside the well gets high in the oil and gas field, it suddenly explodes and crude oil or natural gas starts coming out in an uncontrolled way. This is called blowout.

Experts say that this situation is created due to the pressure-maintaining system inside the well. No casualty has been reported in this incident.

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