Baghjan gas well fire will be doused in 21 days: OIL to Assam government

The Oil India Limited (OIL) told the Assam government that the fire that broke out in its gas well at Baghjan in Tinsukia district on Tuesday will be doused in 21 days, even as affected families staged a protest for quick action.

OIL CMD, Sushil Chandra Mishra informed this to Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, who visited the mishap site on Wednesday.

Patowary held a meeting with experts and Tinsukia district administration and discussed the action plan to douse the fire and cap the gas well that blew out on May 27. The gas well at Baghjan, situated about 500-km east of Guwahati blew out during a routine maintenance work, following which gas and oil condensate started flowing out uncontrollably. The well caught a massive fire at around 1.14 pm on Tuesday, when OIL officials and experts were carrying out some work as part of their efforts to cap the gas well. The OIL, however, said the cause of the blowout was yet to be ascertained.

Also read — Massive fire breaks out at Oil India's gas well in eastern Assam

Two firefighters of OIL, Durlav Gogoi and Tikheswar Gohain, died while four others were injured.

A statement from the Union Petroleum Ministry said, except the well's plinth area, the fire around the site has mostly extinguished. However, the burning of gas at the well's mouth will continue until the well is capped. The fire in the around 200-metre periphery has burnt over 30 houses.

Three experts from Singapore is working with local experts of OIL and ONGCL to plug the cap of the gas well.

Also read — Two firefighters die in gas well blowout blaze in Assam

During the discussion, Oil India’s CMD assured Patowary that the fire at the well site will be doused within 21 days. CMD also informed that the two firemen of OIL who lost their lives would be posthumously given bravery awards by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Oil India will give Rs 1 crore to Gohain’s family and Rs 60 lakhs to the family of Gogoi based on their years of service at Oil India. Both families would receive pensions and other financial benefits. One eligible member from each family would be given a job at Oil India," said a statement from Patowary's office.

Besides, it was decided to give Rs 30,000 to each family that was displaced from their homes and was living in the relief camps. Nearly 1,600 families have been shifted to 12 relief camps.

The well is located in the vicinity of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri Motapung Beel, a wetland. OIL has engaged an accredited agency to carry out its environmental impact in and around Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri Motapung Beel, said a statement issued by the Union Petroleum Ministry.