Massive gas leak at OIL well in Dibrugarh raises safety concerns

Dibrugarh: A high-pressure gas leak at Oil India Limited's (OIL) well no-309 at Nagajan village in Lankasi-Kothalguri of Dibrugarh district triggered panic among locals on Thursday afternoon, evoking memories of the catastrophic 2020 Baghjan blowout.
The uncontrolled leakage, which began around 4:30pm with a loud hissing sound and gas shooting skyward, was contained after an eight-hour operation by OIL's disaster response team. The well was brought under control by 1am on Friday.
Though authorities confirmed no casualty or property damage, the incident has reignited concerns over safety measures in Assam's oilfields. The leak was traced to a mechanical failure in the casing valve, prompting an immediate response from OIL's well services team. Under tight security, experts successfully "killed" the well — stopping the uncontrolled flow — and replaced the faulty valve before the highly flammable gas could ignite.
"Upon receiving reports of the leak, we mobilised our emergency response teams immediately. The situation was precarious, with high-pressure gas escaping at an alarming rate. Our priority was to prevent any ignition sources from reaching the vicinity while technical teams worked to contain the leak," a senior OIL official said.
OIL released an official statement on Friday, confirming the incident. "A shut-in gas well in Lankasi-Kothalguri reported a leakage at around 4:30pm on May 1. Preliminary assessment indicated a mechanical error in the casing valve. Our well services team subdued the well and completed the replacement by 1am on May 2. No damage to life or property occurred. OIL remains committed to the highest safety standards," it read.
The episode resurrects fears from the devastating Baghjan blowout of 2020, when well no-5 at OIL's Baghjan field in Tinsukia district suffered a blowout on May 27, followed by a massive fire on June 9. That disaster led to three deaths, displaced hundreds of families, and inflicted severe environmental damage on the adjacent Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung wetland. The fire raged for nearly six months before finally being extinguished, marking one of the worst industrial accidents in Assam's history.