GUWAHATI: Oil exploration major, Oil India Limited (OIL), has sought the help of a Singapore-based firm to stop the “blowout” – or uncontrolled emission of natural gas – from an oil well in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
“We will use the expertise of Singapore-based firm Alert Disaster Control. Their experts are expected to reach the site after necessary clearance vis-à-vis COVID-19 protocols,” an OIL spokesman said.
The blowout occurred on Wednesday morning at the OIL’s Baghjan BGR Oil Well No 5. Experts from the OIL are working round the clock but there has not been any improvement in the situation.
The public sector undertaking (PSU) has already served a showcause notice on M/s John Energy Pvt Limited, a Gujarat-based company to which the operations were outsourced.
After visiting the site on Monday, OIL Chairman and Managing Director Sushil Chandra Mishra had said actions would be initiated against employees of the OIL if there was any prima facie evidence of human error. A five-member committee is probing the incident.
Wildlife activists and environmentalists are worried considering the threat the blowout posed to flora and fauna. The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, known for its feral horses, is about 2 km away. The activists claimed the incident had already affected aquatic animals, including highly-endangered Gangetic dolphins and fish, at river Dibru.
Mishra said the OIL was equally concerned about the reported impact on biodiversity. He said the PSU was taking all possible measures to ensure the safety of people living near the site of blowout.
“The OIL is awaiting the observations and findings of district administration, Forest Department and Pollution Control Board so that all necessary steps can be taken. The OIL’s Safety and Environment Department is continuously monitoring the ground situation. An expert agency will be engaged for monitoring the environmental impact,” the OIL CMD said, adding “The OIL is not carrying out any operations within eco sensitive zone (ESZ)”.