AAEA Urges Action on Abandoned Wells
Guwahati: Expressing grave concern over the recent Sivasagar crude oil well gas leakage, a Northeast India-based forum of graduate engineers has urgently called on the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limited (OIL) to provide full transparency regarding so-called ‘abandoned’ wells. These wells, often mismanaged, pose severe risks to human life, property, and the environment, as private parties operating them frequently evade responsibility for mishaps.
The All Assam Engineers Association (AAEA), in a strongly worded statement, also appealed to the Union Government in New Delhi to hold ONGC and OIL officials accountable for any disaster at an oil or gas well after declaring it ‘dried up,’ emphasising the need for stricter oversight to prevent catastrophic incidents.
Engineers Slam ONGC, OIL on Well Mishaps
The AAEA raised serious allegations, suggesting that some corrupt ONGC and OIL officials may deliberately declare certain oil or gas wells as ‘old ones’ (meaning not feasible for drilling) to enable private parties to seize the opportunity to drill and extract benefits, potentially sharing illicit profits with these officials.
“It’s apprehended that some corrupt ONGC/OIL officials declare certain oil/gas wells as ‘old one’ (meaning not feasible for drilling) — so that private parties can then enter, seize the opportunity to drill, and extract benefits (with the secret understanding of sharing such benefits with the concerned corrupt officials of state-sponsored ONGC/OIL). Is there any mechanism to monitor the concerned officials after they declare a loaded oil/gas well as ‘dry one’, and thereby facilitate private parties in oil/gas extraction in lieu of personal gain?” stated AAEA president Er Kailash Sarma, alongside working president Er Nava J Thakuria, who is also a senior journalist, and secretary Er Inamul Hye, highlighting the need for systemic reforms.
The AAEA pointed to the Bhatiapar-Bari Chuk blowout in Sivasagar and the 2020 Baghjan blowout in Tinsukia as evidence of recurring negligence, where private parties operated wells assumed to lack sufficient oil or gas reserves, leading to accidents. These incidents reveal a failure to implement lessons from past disasters. Alarmingly, India still lacks an efficient national response team to handle such crises, often relying on expert teams from countries like Canada or the USA to address these problems urgently, the AAEA statement added, underscoring the nation’s unpreparedness for industrial emergencies of this magnitude.
Sivasagar Blowout Fuels Accountability Call
The Sivasagar blowout, which began on June 12, 2025, at ONGC’s Well No. RDS 147A in the Rudrasagar oil field occurred during a zone transfer perforation by private contractor SK Petro Services. The uncontrolled gas leak, initially at 2,600 psi, has displaced over 1,500 people, with 79 families relocated to relief camps in Bhati Bongaon. ONGC has mobilised international experts from CUDD Pressure Control, USA, to assist in capping the well, with significant progress reported by June 22, including a pressure reduction to 500 psi and the clearing of rig equipment. The Assam government, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has provided Rs 25,000 in aid to each of 350 affected families and deployed drones and thermal imaging to monitor environmental impacts, while the Pollution Control Board assesses air and water quality to mitigate risks to local ecosystems.
The AAEA’s call for accountability resonates with growing local unrest, as groups like the All Assam Tai Ahom Students’ Union have protested, demanding compensation for agricultural losses and long-term health risks. The Sivasagar incident, echoing the 2020 Baghjan disaster that displaced thousands and caused extensive environmental damage, highlights the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols and oversight of private contractors. With ONGC planning to permanently cap the well, the AAEA insists on establishing a robust monitoring mechanism to prevent corrupt practices and ensure that India develops a self-reliant disaster response framework to safeguard communities and ecosystems from future oil and gas well mishaps.
– global bihari bureau
