OIL plans legal recourse after Assam pollution watchdog issues closure notice

In its closure notice, PCBA observed that OIL was operating the wells in Baghjan, including the one that had a blowout and fire, without obtaining necessary pollution clearances and there was no effluent treatment plant in the area.

 

Guwahati(Agencies): Oil India Limited (OIL) is planning to seek legal recourse after the Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) issued a notice asking the company to close down operations of its wells in Baghjan oil field.

On June 19, 24 days after a natural gas well had a blowout and 11 days after it caught fire, PCBA directed OIL to close all production and drilling operations at 21 wells—4 natural gas, 17 oil--at Baghjan oil field for “nonchalantly violating provisions of law and causing pollution to the environment”.

Reacting to the PCBA notice OIL spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika informed on Sunday that the company will seek legal recourse. The Baghjan oil field has been in operation since 2003 and is one of the high yielding gas and oil fields of OIL.

 “OIL is intending to file a writ petition in Gauhati High Court challenging the order passed by PCBA,” OIL said in a release issued on Sunday.

In its closure notice, PCBA observed that OIL was operating the wells in Baghjan, including the one that had a blowout and fire, without obtaining necessary pollution clearances and there was no effluent treatment plant in the area.

 “Baghjan oil field is located just 500 metres from the Maguri Motapung wetland which is part of the eco-sensitive zone of Dibru Saikhowa National Park, which has been affected severely due to negligence from your end,” said PCBA in its closure notice to OIL.

PCBA further said that OIL failed to take adequate measures to prevent spillage, blowouts and was operating the wells without proper safety measures posing a threat to lives and property as well as the environment.

 “You are destroying the aquatic life of Dibru Saikhowa National Park and Maguri Motapung wetland in the name of exploring oil without any mitigation measures,” the notice read.

Protests and blockades by local groups have affected gas and oil production of OIL in several places. Since May 27, when the blowout occurred, the company has suffered cumulative production loss of 8013 MT crude oil and 10.24 MMSCM of natural gas.

On Saturday, a day after the PCBA notice, the gas and oil wells in Baghjan, which were shut down by protesters, were “opened between 7 pm and 8 pm and started flowing”, said the OIL release.

However, drilling and work over operations in 5 more areas, which are outside Baghjan, are still disrupted by protesters.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to control the fire and plug the blowout. According to officials, the work is progressing on schedule and is likely to be over by the first week of next month.