GUWAHATI: Heavy rain and floods in Upper Assam is affecting operations to control the fire at Baghjan gas well, even as experts and crisis management teams of Oil India Limited (OIL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation deliberated and chalked out plans to overcome the situation.
“The site and all connecting roads have been inundated with flood water, which is severely affecting progress and further planning of work,” an official statement issued on Thursday, said.
“The kill pump area is completely flooded. OIL CMT water pump area is submerged with flood water. The Dangori river located close to the site has already started overflowing. Currently, there is only one connecting road (Plastic Park Road) which is narrow at places resulting in challenges in movement of men and material,” the statement said.
To make matters worse, a bridge between Doomdooma and Baghjan road has been damaged due to heavy rainfall.
“All movement over the bridge has stopped which is hampering the movement of men and material to Baghjan early production system. Army personnel will assess the condition of the bridge to find out the next course of action,” it added.
Foreign experts from Alert Disaster Control visited the gas well to reassess the site readiness post flood situation and initiate debris-clearing process.
“Removal of debris from the well site, which is a very important part of the operation, has started. However, work in the debris lay down area has been hampered due to incessant rainfall. Civil work is in progress in spite of inclement weather and soft soil condition with an overall progress of 70 per cent. Job for placing one more water pump was in progress but could not be completed due to heavy rainfall and rising water level of the Dangori river,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, surveys for assessment of damage for compensation by the committee constituted by the Tinsukia district administration are in progress. Assessment for 500 affected families has been completed in Doomdooma and Tinsukia Circle, even as heavy rain and floods have hampered further progress.