Impact of Baghjan Oil Well (Assam, India) Blowout and Leakage of Greenhouse Gases

Abstract:

Assam is one of the first, oldest oil/gas producing fields in India. While drilling deep wells and in production of oil and gas, a number of accidents have occurred in the past where many people lost their lives. The tropical cyclone Amphan hits the east coast of India, and major parts of the West Bengal, Bangladesh and Assam regions. The northeastern coast of India and major cities, close to the east coast were heavily flooded. The tropical cyclone also impacted further, the eastern parts of Assam region. There was pronounced changes in the surface pressure which is also reflected from the change in ground water level in Assam based on the water wells data. Such changes may have played role in this major blowout of Baghjan oil well on 27 May 2020 (Tinsukia district, Assam) located in the north eastern parts of India. From the ongoing oil well operation, gas was produced from new sand (oil and gas bearing reservoir) at a depth of 3729 m. Earlier the well was producing around about 10,0000 Cubic Meter per day of gas from a depth of 3870 m. The oil well is close to the Brahmaputra river, The blowout also triggered oil well fire on 7 June 2020 and leakage of greenhouse gases (CO, Ozone, Methane) were observed through multi satellite sensor data (Sentinel -1,2 and 5P (TROPOMI). The surrounding area is heavily flooded after heavy rainfall, that have hampered the stoppage of blowout. Detailed analysis of gases leaked from the blowout from 27 May until June 2020 and changes in the atmospheric parameters will be discussed. This is one of the deadly blowouts that occurred in the history of oil/gas producing wells in the Assam region, oldest oil/gas field in India.