Tinsukia, July 22: An explosion occurred at the natural gas well in Baghjan village in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district on Wednesday afternoon. Three foreign experts were injured in the blast. They are part of a team that came to help authorities control the blowout that happened at the oil well in May. According to news agency ANI, the blast happened near well number 5 when operations to douse the fire at Baghjan oil field was going on. Baghjan Blowout: ERM Completes Assessment Study Prior to Capping of Well.

Consequently, the operation to douse the fire has been halted. Following a blowout on May 27, oil has been continuously leaking from the well. It's been over 50 days since the blowout, however, authorities have so far failed to contain the leak. The blowout caused a major fire on June 9. A blowout means a sudden and uncontrolled release of gas/oil. More than 3000 people from surrounding villages have been evacuated. Baghjan Blowout: 11 Affected Families Receive Rs 20 Lakhs Each as Compensation from Oil India Limited.

Due to the natural gas leak, a variety of fish and endangered Gangetic dolphins are feared dead. A three-member expert team from a Singapore-based emergency management firm Alert Disaster Control was called in to control the blowout in the gas well. The state-owned Oil India Ltd (OIL) has been drilling out natural gas from here since 2006. It produces around 80,000 standard cubic metres per day (SCMD) of gas from a depth of 3,870 metres.

As per a Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas release on Wednesday, "OIL had informed that while carrying out workover operations in the gas-producing well Baghjan-5 under Baghjan Oilfield in Tinsukia district, the well suddenly became active on May 27 and a blowout occurred. It led to the uncontrolled flow of gas from the well. The well caught fire on June 9." An impact assessment study prior to the capping of the well has been completed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 22, 2020 03:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).