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Published 20:46 IST, August 18th 2020

Baghjan blowout: Well killing operation fails day after successful capping of head

Teams engaged in the killing process of the Baghjan gas producing well of Oil India Limited failed to conclude the task, day after a successful operation

Reported by: Digital Desk
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A day after the successful operation to cap the head of the Baghjan gas producing well of Oil India Limited, teams engaged in the killing process, which is basically an operation to pump chemically-produced mud with high pressure into the well, failed to conclude the task.

An official statement issued Tuesday afternoon informed that all arrangements for carrying out well-killing operations like connections of kill lines and choke manifold lines were completed before the process began. The next course of action will be decided by the experts, an OIL spokesperson said.

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According to reports, the killing operation failed because of the “blowout of the valve on the 13.3/8 casing.”

The teams engaged in the operations had successfully installed the blowout preventer on the wellhead on Monday after two failed attempts earlier.

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Baghjan disaster

The well no. 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 81 days since May 27 and it caught fire on June 9, killing the two firefighters at the site. 

OIL said that it continues to face protests and blockades across its wells and field locations, leading to heavy production loss in the last few months. "A total of 28,199 metric tonnes of crude oil and 67.11 million metric standard cubic meter of natural gas have been lost as a result of protests, blockades, bandhs in and around Baghjan area since May 27, 2020 due to the blowout," it added.

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On the relief and rehabilitation process, OIL said that surveys for assessment of damage for compensation by the district administration are in progress in Tinsukia and Doomdooma circles. "A total of 2,756 families have been surveyed for assessment of damage for compensation till August 14", the PSU said.

Over 9,000 people were initially shifted to 13 relief camps after the well suffered a blowout in May and subsequently caught fire last month. 

(Photo: Twiter/@OilIndiaLimited) (With PTI inputs)

READ | Baghjan Well Fire: Oil India Surveys 2,756 Families To Assess Damage For Compensation

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20:45 IST, August 18th 2020