Baghjan fire

The Union Ministry for Petroleum & Natural Gas has constituted a high-level committee to investigate into the incident of major fire that broke out in a well of Oil India Limited (OIL) in Tinsukia’s Baghjan oilfield.

The order, issued by the Petroleum & Natural Gas Ministry on Thursday, said: “Natural gas mixed with condensate started flowing uncontrollably from one of the wells of Oil India Ltd. in Baghjan fields in Tinsukia district of Assam” on May 27, 2020 leading to a blowout.

The well caught fire on June 8, 2020.

To inquire into the incident, the ministry has constituted a three-member high level committee comprising S.C.L. Das, director general, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons; B.C. Bora, former chairman of ONGC and T.K. Sengupta, former director of ONGC, the order said.

The committee will be headed by the director general, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, S.C.L. Das.

As per the order, the committee will “identify the lapses in following laid down protocols and procedures which led to the incident”.

The committee will also “recommend short and long-term measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents including identifying any gaps in laid down standard operating procedures”.

According to the order, the high-level committee will have to submit its report within one month.

Meanwhile, Assam health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has thanked Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for constitution the high-level committee.

“I thank Petroleum Minister Sri @dpradhanbjp ji for constituting a high-powered committee to inquire into Tinsukia’s Baghjan oil field leakage & explosion,” minister Sarma tweeted.   

“It shall certainly douse the fire of fear that has gripped people, already stressed due to #COVID19,” Sarma added.