Baghjan well fire: Oil India surveys 2,756 families to assess damage for compensation

Oil India Limited (OIL) on Wednesday issued a statement saying that 2,756 families have been surveyed for the assessment of damage, post the blowout at its gas well in Baghjan, near Tinsukia. The Baghjan oil well caught fire in early June after a blowout on May 27. The blowout at the Oilfield was a result of sudden activity while OIL was carrying out workover operations. 

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"Relief and Rehabilitation--A total of 2,756 families have been surveyed for the assessment of the damage of compensation till 11.08.2020 in Doomdooma and Tinsukia Circle put together," said a press release by the Oil India Limited. 

Regarding "Law and order, bandhs, blockades, etc, the press release added, "Oil and gas production still continues to be affected due to forceful closure of few oil and gas wells connected to Baghjan EPS. Drilling and workover operation also continues to be affected at a few of the locations due to forceful closure of operation."

Giving statistics over the impact on oil and gas production due to the protests, OIL in its press release said, "A total of 26280 metric tonnes of crude oil and 63.04 million metric St Cubic metre of natural Gas have been lost respectively as a result of protests, blocks, bandhs staged in and around Baghjan since May 27, 2020 due to the blowout."

The press release said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study on the various parameters are being carried out by various agencies apart from the internal monitoring of air quality, noise level and gas presence. Some of the agencies involved include M/sTERI, M/S ERM, M/s CSIR-NEIST, IIT Guwahati among others. 

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Informing further on the progress made on capping the well, the press release said, "Enlargement of the Flange Bolt Hole has been completed at OIL's Central Workshopovernight and transferred to the well site early this morning. Connection of this Spacer Spool with the Capping BOP Stack is in process, following which the BOP Stack would be pressure tested again. Rigging up of the repaired Bull Lines with the Athey Wagon is also in progress at site, following which, the Athey Wagon would be tested again."

The Press release furthr informed that 'all safety precautions are being maintianed while efforts are being made to control the well at the earliest'.

On 27 May, the well witnessed a blowout after it suddenly became active while OIL was carrying out workover operations in the gas-producing well Baghjan-5, located at the Baghjan oilfield. The well caught fire on June 9. 

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(with inputs from ANI)