Northeast India: Bhatiapar gas leakage and its aftermath
Nava Thakuria
Finally the natural gas leakage from Bhatiapar crude oil well, which continued for 16 days, was fully stopped by an experienced team of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) with support from three foreign well-control experts on 27 Jun 2025. The capping operation at Rudrasagar oilfield well (RDS-147A) in Sivasagar of northeast India was performed with no casualty or injury to the response team while avoiding any incident of ignition. Lauding the state-sponsored Maharatna company, federal petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri commented that full dousing of the well was made possible through careful planning, international collaboration, and the exemplary competence of the engaged team members. The blowout from the well, which was under operation of a private firm named SK Petro Services, began on 12 June and the uncontrolled leakage compelled over 330 families to leave their places for safety reasons. Besides the local villagers living near the old well, the high pressure gas flow impacted the surrounding environment heavily.
But troubles for the ONGC did not end here, as the State pollution authority issued a show-cause notice to the energy major for its activities without securing necessary environmental clearances. Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) on 21 June accused the ONGC of operating at well number 147 (Bhatiapar–Barichuk area) without securing the mandatory consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) under a number of environmental legislations. The PCBA gave the largest crude oil & natural gas exploration and drilling company in India two weeks to explain why action should not be taken against it. If failed to respond within the stipulated period, the PCBA (under the guidelines of National Green Tribunal) may impose environmental compensation fines (ECF) and other penalties against the ONGC.
PCBA chairman Er Arup Kr Mishra informed that the responsible board officials had confirmed the uncontrolled gas flow from RDS-147A causing pollution to the local environment. The visiting scientists from the PCBA’s central laboratory and RLO- Sivasagar to the location detected that the ONGC authority had neither taken CTE/CTO for the RDS-147A work over drill site nor even intimated the board, stated Mishra, adding that the ONGC Limited, Assam Asset was intimated with various provisions under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981, the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974, the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016, and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, which were violated while operating a ‘Work Over Drill Site RD147-A’.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, after visiting the site, announced an aid of Rs 25,000 per affected family. Expressing concern over the incident, Sarma urged the ONGC authority to act with a mission mode to control the unabated gas flow. He also drew the attention of Union petroleum & natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri urging for prompt actions considering the safety of local villagers. Meanwhile, a series of protests erupted in the locality against the negligence shown by the ONGC and SK Petro Services. The agitators belonging to Asomiya Yuba Manch, All Assam Tai Ahom Students’ Union, Anusuchita Jati Chatra Santha, Sangrami Sena etc also demanded adequate compensation to local residents for the loss in agriculture and long-term general health.
Many residents are worried about the incident after recollecting the worrisome memory of Baghjan catastrophic gas & oil leak after catching fire subsequently. Well number 5 of the Oil India Limited (OIL) experienced the gas discharge on 27 May 2020 and it caught fire on 9 June to make the accident one of the worst industrial disasters in India. The gas flow and fire was completely doused on 15 November with the help of an expert team from Canada. The disaster claimed three human lives, sudden evacuation of over 9000 families (and subsequent loss of properties and livelihoods) as well as damaged thousands of hectares of areas belonging to Maguri-Motapung wetland and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park etc.
The destroyed ecosystem will probably need decades to regain its original form. But one can remember, a Guwahati-based journalist (now a popular talk-show host) wrote in a prime English daily newspaper soon after the disaster asserting that the nature in Baghjan had already returned back to its original shape. He also criticized the affected villagers for mishandling the compensation from the OIL authority. No wonder, a public demonstration was organized by local villagers terming the journalist a tout of the oil company for personal gains. It was another kind of adversity for the Asomiya society after the Baghjan tragedy indeed!
Nonetheless, the question that arises is, for how long India will have to wait for a domestic response team to deal with hydrocarbon disasters efficiently and thus avoid national embarrassment in future !