NEW DELHI: State-owned Oil India Ltd (OIL) on Wednesday reported a blowout at one of its gas-producing wells in Tinsukia district of Assam, leading to evacuation of the locals from around the site. OIL suspended operations at the well after it started releasing natural gas in an uncontrolled manner, the company said in a statement.
It was not clear if the well caught fire. No one was injured. "At around 10:30 am this morning (May 27), the producing well of Baghjan-5 under Baghjan oilfield of OIL in Tinsukia district suddenly became very active while workover operations were on," the company said.
The blowout happened while workover operations were going on to produce gas from new oil and gas-bearing reservoir. "All arrangements are being made now to bring the well under control (by) adequate water spraying and installing BOP (blow out preventer)," the firm said.
The statement said efforts have been made to vacate the local residents from the vicinity of the well to safe places. "Experts from OIL have reached the site and all-out efforts are on to control the well," it said adding crisis management team of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) too has been mobilised to assist OIL's efforts to control the well.