Oil India caps Assam well blowout for Kiri

Vol 26, PW 23 (02 Nov 23) Exploration & Production
 

Oil India insiders have denied any responsibility for a security lapse at the Bordubi field last month (October 2023), arguing the area is operated by a third party under a Production Enhancement Contract (PEC).

On the night of October 20 (2023), well NHK-67 at the 17.5-sq km OIL/MNF/2022/CA-2 block, which includes the Bordubi field, spewed out water and sand, spreading panic in nearby shops and homes in Duliajan. Local officials and police were called in to distribute food packets to people so they wouldn't light gas stoves in their kitchens, says a source.

"Miscreants cut out the X-Mas tree, and the cut part was found in a nearby field," Oil India spokesman Bhairab Bhuyan told reporters after the blowout. Oil India's Bordubi and separate Rajgargh fields in Assam are controlled by a consortium of Barmer-based Kiri & Company and state-owned Assam Mineral Development Corporation under a 15-year PEC awarded on May 29 (2023).

An Oil India source stresses Kiri's responsibility was to manage the crisis, even though Oil India intervened to cap the well. "Security is the contractor's responsibility, but they have just recently started work," he says.

"We capped the well and returned it to Kiri." On October 21 (2023), Oil India chairman Ranjit Rath, director exploration MK Sharma and director operations PK Goswami visited the well site.

"KK Nayak (from Kiri) was also there," we hear. On October 22 (2023), Oil India announced that its in-house crisis management team had capped the well after 60 hours of effort.

"The uncontrolled flow of fluid (water) from NHK-67 near Duliajan was capped successfully at around 12.44pm by the in-house Crisis Management Team (CMT) with support from the internal task force," wrote Oil India. "The well has been killed with a pressure reading of zero."

A source stresses Oil India's team dealt with the problem quickly and without help. Kiri was unavailable for comment.

"Please speak to Oil India," said Nayak, responding to a text from this report. "I am not authorised to speak."

Some wonder why Oil India failed to stress that the crisis was not its responsibility despite heavy criticism over the Baghjan blowout in May 2020. A source speculates Oil India kept quiet because of Kiri's partnership with Assam-government-owned Assam Mineral Development Corporation.