A month on, Assam gas well continues to blaze; likely to be doused by July 15

It has been exactly a month since an Oil India Limited’s (OIL) natural gas well caught fire in Assam’s Tinsukia district but it continues to blaze despite efforts to control it. Officials had expected the fire to be put out by July 7 but the firefighting operations have been affected by flood in the state and it is now being hoped that the blaze will be doused by July 15.

The well at the company Baghjan oil field had a blow out – uncontrolled release of gas and oil condensate – on May 27 during a work over operation and caught fire on June 9, killing two firefighters and destroying 13 houses located close by.

Since the well is located close to Dibru Saikhowa National Park and the eco-sensitive Maguri Motapung wetland, it raised concerns of damage to the environment and effect on flora and fauna. Nearly 9,000 people from the area were shifted to relief camps after the well caught fire.