Petroleum Ministry constitutes high-powered committee to enquire Baghjan explosion

June 11: A high-powered committee to inquire into Tinsukia’s Baghjan oil field leakage & explosion by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India on Thursday. Natural Gas mixed with condensate started flowing uncontrollably from one of the wells of Oil India Ltd in Baghian fields in Tinsukia District of Assam on 27 May 2020 leading to a blowout. The well caught fire on 8 June 2020.

In this connection, a three-member high level committee comprising of SCL Das, Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, B C Bora, former Chairman ONGC and T K Sengupta former Director ONGC is constituted to inquire the incident The Committee will be headed by the Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons. The Committee will have following terms of reference:

• Identify the lapses in following laid down protocols and procedures which led to the incident
• Recommend short and long-term measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents including identifying any gaps in laid down standard operating procedures
• The Committee shall submit its report within one month

The order was issued by R.K. Kureel, Director of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India.