A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: A massive gas leak at Oil India Limited’s (OIL) Well No. 309 at Nagajan village in Lankasi-Kothalguri area in Dibrugarh district on Thursday afternoon sent panic waves among the locals, reviving traumatic memories of the catastrophic 2020 Baghjan blowout.
The uncontrolled leakage, which began around 4.30 PM with a loud hissing sound and gas shooting into the sky, was finally brought under control by 1 AM on Friday after an eight-hour emergency operation by OIL’s disaster response team.
Authorities confirmed that there were no casualties or property damage, but the incident has raised fresh concerns over safety protocols in Assam’s oilfields. The leak, caused by a mechanical failure in the casing valve, prompted immediate deployment of OIL’s well services team. Working under tight security, experts managed to ‘kill’ the well, a process of stopping uncontrolled flow, and replaced the faulty valve before the highly flammable gas could ignite.
“We immediately mobilised our emergency response teams upon receiving reports of the leak. The situation was precarious, with high-pressure gas escaping at an alarming rate. Our priority was to prevent any potential ignition sources from reaching the vicinity while our technical teams worked to contain the leak,” a senior OIL official said. Oil India Limited also released an official statement about the incident on Friday which mentioned, “A shut-in gas well in Lankasi-Kothalguri reported a gas leakage at around 4.30 PM on May 1. Preliminary assessment indicated a mechanical error in the casing valve. Our well services team subdued the well and completed the replacement by 1 AM on May 2. No damage to life or property occurred. OIL remains committed to the highest safety standards.” Thursday’s incident brought back memories of the devastating Baghjan blowout of 2020, when Well No. 5 at OIL’s Baghjan field in Tinsukia district experienced a blowout on May 27, followed by a massive fire on June 9. That catastrophe resulted in three deaths, displaced hundreds of families, and caused severe environmental damage to the adjacent Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung wetland. The Baghjan fire raged for nearly six months before being completely doused, becoming one of the worst industrial disasters in the region’s history.
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