DIBRUGARH, Aug 16 - Fire controlling and oilwell killing exercises at the Baghjan site no. 5 of Oil India Limited (OIL) continues to �progress� but at a snail�s pace. On Sunday, the OIL press bulletin stated: �Inspection of the well head is planned for today after allowing sufficient setting time for second instalment of liquid resin that was placed on top of the casing slips in an attempt to create a temporary �pack-off� of the annular section.�
In plain terms, the Crisis Management Team is pouring various chemicals into the wellhead basement, in preparation of a third installation attempt of the Blow Out Preventer (BOP). The earlier two attempts this month were unsuccessful due to various reasons. These include extreme high gas outflow pressure from the well, and the �hit-and-trial� methodology that is put to stub out the fire and plug the well permanently. Both the tasks are turning out to be extremely challenging, even for established experts.
Today the Athey Wagon and Bull Dozer have been made ready for the operation after completion of load testing and servicing respectively. The Bull Dozer has also been load tested today. During the first installation attempt, the Bull Dozer had turned turtle, leading to burn injuries to several Crisis Managers, including three foreigners.
At the second attempt, the bull wire that was hanging the BOP unit started to melt and give way, leading to immediate abandonment of the process.
Treatment of well killing fluid, which is a mixture of chemicals and specialty cements, is underway. All efforts are being taken to control the well at the earliest, said OIL spokesman Tridiv Hazarika.
The two OIL firemen who met with unfortunate accidental deaths at Baghjan on June 9 this year, have been approved for the President�s Fire Service Medal for Gallantry (Posthumous). The two OIL Firemen were Tikheswar Gohain and Durlov Gogoi.
