DIBRUGARH, Aug 10 - The fire at the Baghjan gas well just refuses to come under control. This morning, fire fighting experts did manage to install the Blow Out Preventer (BOP) stack over the gas well no. BGN-5. But shortly afterwards, the �bull lines� connected to the crane structure called �Athey Wagon� gave way due to intense heat. So for the second time in ten days, the BOP installation had to be abandoned.
As the stability of the BOP structure became compromised, it was lifted away from the well head. Now, the engineers and specialists are working on the extreme heat resistance and tensile strength of the bull lines to redeploy the BOP. Once this is done in the coming days, the well killing exercises will begin, with injection of well killing fluids into the well.
Confirming the above to this reporter, OIL spokesman Tridiv Hazarika said the Crisis Management Team experts are working on the metallurgical aspects of the bull lines, and that a solution would be found very early. Hazarika also confirmed that the Athey Wagon has not been damaged, which is a huge relief for the crisis managers.
The heat resistance of the bull lines is critical as the heat at the disaster site is intense due to the fire. This despite the constant maintenance of a �water umbrella� over the well head. The BOP, once installed on the well head, has to be firmly bolted to the well head base with a dozen odd heavy capacity bolts. The bolting exercise itself takes about an hour and a half, according to Hazarika. So, the wires (Bull Lines) that hold the BOP structure during this time would have to sustain the load as well as the head of the place. It is gathered that a special metal alloy is being engineered to meet these requirements.
While the fire continues to rage on for the 62nd day today at Baghjan, locals in Doomdooma told this reporter that the �air vibrations� appeared to increase today, causing an irritating buzz at all metal roofs of houses in a 10 km radius area from the Baghjan well head. For the local population, the seemingly endless quake-like vibrations would continue for a few more days, as matters stand today. Many in Baghjan, Dighaltarrang and even in Doomdooma were hopeful the fire would end today. Their hopes dashed, anger and frustration in them is only but natural.