Guwahati: Oil India Ltd (OIL) claimed Monday the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has decided to withdraw its notice asking the company to shut down all operations in Baghjan, where a gas well of the PSU caught fire after a weeks-long blowout.
This comes a day after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed displeasure over the PCBA order. He said authorities need to be ‘more sensible’.
“Pollution Control Board, Assam served a closure notice directing OIL to close down all the production as well as drilling operations of all installations of Baghjan oil field forthwith. Chairman PCBA spoke to CMD-OIL today (Monday) and the closure notice is in the process of being lifted,” OIL said in a statement.
The PSU had Sunday said it will approach the Gauhati High Court against the PCBA if it does not withdraw the closure notice.
The Baghjan oil field has a total of 22 producing wells – 18 crude and four gas. The oil field has been in operation since 2003.
Well No.5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district of Assam has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 27 days. It caught fire on June 9, killing two of OIL’s firefighters at the site.
Following the accident, the PCBA sent a show cause notice to the energy major on June 10 seeking details of its operations in Baghjan in the last 15 years, within one week.
Citing a number of violations by the PSU, the PCBA issued the ‘closure notice’ alleging that the company did not obtain required permissions for the Baghjan oil fields. OIL categorically denied the charge and claimed it has the ‘PCBA’s consent’ for its all operations in the state.
On the ongoing process to douse the blaze at the well, OIL said a crucial packing element for the casing hanger will be airlifted from Singapore Monday.