DIBRUGARH, June 8 - With natural gas and associated condensate gushing out of the Baghjan 5 oilwell unstoppably for the 12th consecutive day today, the arrival of the three Singapore based disaster control experts is seen by many in OIL as the beginning of the oilwell capping routine. The capping of the oilwell with a Blow Out Preventer (BOP) will take a few days, but OIL is treading carefully.
The Baghjan gas reservoir is one of OIL�s biggest hydrocarbon assets, and the high pressure gas wellheads there contribute significantly to the company�s turnover.
The three oilfield disaster control experts, Michael Ernest Allcorn, Senior Well Control Operations and Team Leader, Craig Neil Duncan, Senior Well Control Engineer, and Edward Harris MacLeod, Senior Well Control Specialist, arrived early on Monday morning at Duliajan. Along with the Crisis Management Team (CMT) and other OIL executives, they have already commenced their work. They visited the accident site at Baghjan and are now going ahead with their work of controlling and capping the leak.
A meeting was convened by the Resident Chief Executive of OIL at Duliajan today where the experts from M/s Alert Disaster Control, Singapore, were briefed by representatives of OIL about the progress in the well control operation. The foreign experts laid stress on the safety of the local people while carrying out the intense capping exercises. They opined that the works of the CMT all this while are in the right direction.
It is learnt that this Singapore based disaster mitigation firm has wide experience of controlling oilfield blowouts and similar mishaps around the world in 135 countries over the past several years.
Both vertical and horizontal lift mechanism of the Hydraulically Driven Mechanical Transporter to be used for Well Control Operation have been completed and tested. The final assembling process is in progress. Composite arrangements for �killing� the well is in progress.
Arrangements for sucking in water from the nearby Dangori river have been completed, as huge quantities of water would be required to maintain a �water umbrella� throughout the days of the capping exercises.
A big water reservoir has also been dug up as a back up measure and another, to drain out water. Environmental impact assessment study and bioremediation process are in progress, even as there are serious allegations of river, tea, agri-fields and water body pollution due to the Baghjan blowout.
Locals are on a protest against the pollution, demanding appropriate clean up work and increased compensation to the affected families. They have also alleged that the present environmental damage impact assessment personnel do not enjoy the confidence of the locals.
