No oil flow from Assam's Baghjan gas well site into water bodies, says OIL India

Oil India Limited on Friday asserted that there is 'no oil is flowing' into water bodies from a gas well in Assam's Baghjan following a blowout last month as claimed in a viral video clip on social media.  The company stated floodwaters have entered the gas well fire site in Tinsukia district affecting efforts of the OIL authorities to cap the well and douse the blaze.

'This is totally false...'

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The Press Information Bureau (PIB) in its release also said that the wellhead area is dry and no oil is flowing into any waterbody. "Before the fire occurred, condensate was falling in nearby area as it was coming out along with gas. But once the well caught fire on 9th June, all condensate and gas is getting burnt," the release said.

Well number 5 at Baghjan has been blowing gas uncontrollably since the blowout on May 27 and it caught fire on June 9, killing two of OIL's firefighters at the site.

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Incessant rains affect blowout op

Meanwhile, it has been raining continuously and various parts of Baghjan gas well site and three roads leading to the spot from Tinsukia were flooded making it difficult to move personnel and equipment, OIL said in a statement. The site of helipad earmarked earlier cannot be used now because of the presence of floodwater on the road and efforts are on to identify a new site to set up a helipad.

The rains also damaged the Doomdooma-Baghjan Bridge due to which all movement on the bridge has been suspended. OIL had contacted the Army for construction of a Bailey bridge but it can be done only after the water level recedes, the company said.

Another bridge over Daisajan near Daisajan Tea Estate on Tiphuk Kordaiguri road is deteriorating too due to the flood. However, environmental Impact Assessment by M/s ERM is continuing with the collection of samples of air, water, soil from different parts of the area since June 4 as a part of a study.

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(With inputs from PTI)