OIL places Blowout Preventer; fire likely to be doused within 36 hours of capping

Guwahati: In a significant development, Oil India Limited (OIL) has successfully placed Blowout Preventer (BoP) on the well 5 at Baghjan on Monday morning. The oil well, in Tinsukia district of Upper Assam, caught fire on June 9.

This capping operation in its entirety will be completed in some hours, following which it will take 24 to 36 hours to douse the fire, OIL sources have said.

According to the latest reports coming out of the area, one out of the two bull lines connected with Athey Wagon snapped and the entire load was carried on the remaining line. It has been decided to remove the stack and take back the Athey wagon.

According to some sources, one of the pendent wire ropes which was tested at 19 tonnes has been damaged.

The blowout occurred at the gas well number 5 at Baghjan oilfield, which is situated at close proximity of the Maguri-Motapung Beel and Dibru Saikhowa National Park, on May 27. At that time, work was being done to produce gas from new sand (oil and gas-bearing reservoir).

Public giant OIL's chairman and managing director Sushil Chandra Mishra confirmed the development and said, "The BoP stack has been placed using Athey Wagon during the second attempt. However, the BoP stack is somewhat tilted."

Mishra further added that experts and technical teams are aligning the BoP so that fasteners can be fastened and installation can be completed. It will take another 24 to 36 hours to douse the fire, he told media.

Blow Out Preventer is safety equipment designed to prevent uncontrolled flow of crude oil and natural gas wells to prevent blowouts, the uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from a well.

On July 31, OIL initial attempt to cap the well failed after the Athey Wagon collapsed and had to be taken for repairing to the OIL workshop in Duliajan. The incident occurred when the 90 feet long Athay wagon, with a capacity of 20 tonnes, was lifting a 6 tonne BoP along with a riser fitted to the BoP to place it on the well.

Once the BoP is installed, the operation to deactivate the well will start. OIL spokesperson Tridip Hazarika says that fluid and chemical mud will be pumped into the well to kill it and douse the fire.

The Baghjan oilfield is of utmost importance when it comes to the production of crude oil and the extraction of natural gas in Assam. The field includes 18 oil wells and four gas wells.

Also Read: 450-km car relay undertaken to deliver blood plasma to COVID-19 infected nurse in Dibrugarh