Replying to an unstarred question asked by Loksabha MP Dilip Saikia from Assam regarding if Government has made any assessment about damage caused by fire in oil wells of Oil India located at Baghjan in Assam, today, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rameshwar Teli in a written reply stated that :
Oil India Ltd (OIL) has incurred an expenditure of Rs. 301.11 crore on arresting the blowout and Rs. 147.92 crore on relief & rehabilitation and compensation to the affected public. Besides this, The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas regularly monitors and reviews the various safety issues including major industry incidents in the oil & gas industry and directs the oil & gas companies from time to time to take suitable measures to ensure safety of these vital installations.
The Government has also formed a three-member High Level Committee headed by Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons was constituted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to inquire into the incident. The report of the High Level Committee has been accepted by the Government and accordingly Government has asked OIL to relocate it’s Headquarter/Corporate office to Guwahati to increase its operational and execution capability and to have close supervision & oversight of its operation in North East, and also for active interaction with State Government and local community. The OIL has also been asked to set up a Crisis Management Centre in collaboration with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH) has been asked to develop a system of training and capacity building for Exploration & Production (E&P) companies to prevent such incidents in future. Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) has been asked to prepare a system of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and its compliance by the E&P companies about damage caused by fire in oil wells of Oil India located at Baghjan in Assam, today, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameshwar Teli in a written reply stated that Oil India Ltd (OIL) has incurred an expenditure of Rs. 301.11 crore on arresting the blowout and Rs. 147.92 crore on relief & rehabilitation and compensation to the affected public. Besides this, The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas regularly monitors and reviews the various safety issues including major industry incidents in the oil & gas industry and directs the oil & gas companies from time to time to take suitable measures to ensure safety of these vital installations.
The Government has also formed a three-member High Level Committee headed by Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons was constituted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to inquire into the incident. The report of the High Level Committee has been accepted by the Government and accordingly Government has asked OIL to relocate it’s Headquarter/Corporate office to Guwahati to increase its operational and execution capability and to have close supervision & oversight of its operation in North East, and also for active interaction with State Government and local community. The OIL has also been asked to set up a Crisis Management Centre in collaboration with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH) has been asked to develop a system of training and capacity building for Exploration & Production (E&P) companies to prevent such incidents in future. Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) has been asked to prepare a system of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and its compliance by the E&P companies.