Baghjan: OIL calls off well-capping ops for the day due to flood and incessant rain

Guwahati: Oil India Limited (OIL) has called off the oil capping operations in Well 5 due to "severe flood condition", the PSU confirmed in a statement.

However, fire service personnel are stationed at strategic locations for handling any emergency situation, and operations at OIL workshops are continuing.

OIL said that due to heavy rainfall at Baghjan for the last few days, the area has been severely hit by flood and the site has been fully inundated with floodwater. All River levels are rising constantly and the Dangori River is overflowing. All the connecting roads to the site have also been submerged with floodwater.

The approach road to the Debris Area via Plastic Park Road has been closed by the Tinsukia district administration for all vehicular traffic from the bridge over Maguri Beel as the road from the bridge to the well site has been severely damaged by floodwater. In many places, water is flowing over the road with knee to waist-deep water.

The stretches of water overflow are about 150 to 200 meters each and flood water has entered the debris area and has inundated large areas. "The Kill Pump area is completely flooded. OIL CMT Water Pump area is submerged with floodwater. In view of the above, working condition at the site has been considered Unsafe for the day and all operations at the site have been called off for the day today. PWD and OIL engineers are jointly inspecting the roads", OIL said.

Meanwhile, the environmental impact assessment by M/s ERM has also been put on hold as all the areas are submerged with floodwater. The TERI Study on air quality and the noise level has also been kept on hold for 2-3 days till near normalcy returns. Recording of data at already installed meters will continue.

Additionally, the bioremediation job has been put on hold till the water level recedes in the earmarked sites, OIL confirmed in its statement.

All areas in the vicinity of the installed seismometers installed by CSIR-NEIST/NGRI are almost submerged with floodwater due to incessant rainfall, putting a halt to the activoties.

Several types of equipment, including a Packing Element for Casing Hanger from Singapore, reached the site on June 26, OIL said.

At the same time, the fabrication of heat Shield for Excavator is in progress and four more heat shields are under fabrication.

At the same time, the surveys for assessment of damage for compensation by the committee constituted by District Administration have been affected due to Heavy Rainfall and Flood. Assessment for 540 families has been completed in Doomdooma and Tinsukia Circle.

OIL has also reported a cumulative production loss of 8,658 MT Crude oil and 11.12 MMSCM of natural gas since the blowout on May 27.

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