3 Foreign Experts Injured in Blast at Oil India’s Baghjan Plant

The explosion comes after the plant experienced a gas blowout at well number 5 for weeks in June.

An explosion occurred near well no 5 of Oil India in Baghjan, Tinsukia district on Wednesday.

(Photo: PTI)

Video Producer: Hera Khan

Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim

An explosion occurred near well no 5 of Oil India in Baghjan, Tinsukia district of Assam on Wednesday, 22 July.

Three foreign experts involved in capping operations at the site reportedly suffered burn injuries. They have been rushed to the hospital, ANI quoted Tridip Hazarika, Oil India Limited's spokesperson, as saying.

Oil India Limited has put out a statement confirming the same.

Press release by Oil India Limited.(Screenshot Courtesy: Oil India Limited)

“Today, in the afternoon, three experts from M/s Alert namely Anthony Steven Reynolds, Doug Dallas and Craig Neil Duncan suffered minor burn injuries while removing a spool from the wellhead. The three experts were provided immediate medical attention by doctor at well site and later on they were taken to burn unit section of Astha Nursing Home at Dibrugarh. They have been released after dressing of the burn injuries.”   

Oil India Limited

The operations in Baghjan are expected to resume on Thursday.

According to The Hindu, the blast occurred when Anthony Steven Reynolds, Doug Dallas and Craig Neil Duncan, experts from Singapore’s Alert Disaster Control, “tried to open spool of Baghjan well essential before putting up blowout preventer that finally douses the fire.”

According to an Indian Express reporter, capping operations have been stopped for the day.

What Had Happened in Baghjan?

The well number 5 of Baghjan Oil Field in Assam's Tinsukia district suffered damage because of a blowout and finally caught fire on 9 June after leaking gas for fourteen days straight.

The Indian Army had completed the construction of a composite bridge at well number 5 of the Baghjan Oil Field in Assam on Monday, 22 June.

According to a press statement by the army, the “construction of this bridge was extremely critical for the task of controlling the fire, as it provides the only access to the experts to approach the well.”

The Indian Army had also shared that the experts planned to lay a heavy duty pipeline over the bridge and create a water umbrella for dousing the fire.

The massive fire that engulfed Assam‘s Baghjan oil well, on 9 June, two weeks after a blowout in the oil field in Tinsukia district, had spread to nearby villages, damaged houses and caused destruction to flora and fauna.

(With inputs from The Hindu, ANI and The Indian Express)