Villagers leaving area as relief well drilling begins

A blowout and fire forced about 10,000 people to leave homes from around Tengratila Gas field in January last year. PHOTO: Star File Photo

Asked reportedly by the drilling company, more 20 families have left homesteads for safety. Earlier, 57 families had to leave homes.

Canadian company Nico this time entrusted a US company Parker-- for drilling the relief well. Talking to this correspondent during a visit to the area on Friday, local Union Parishad Chairman Amirul Haque said, "We do not know what will happen this time.

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About 10,000 people had to leave homes all of a sudden on the night of January 7 when a massive blowout in the gas field caused a disastrous fire.

The authorities this time also marked 37 tube wells in adjacent villages and asked people not to use those. This has been done as gas was oozing out from the tube wells for the last few months without any pressure.

The January 7 blowout and fire forced at least 10,000 people to leave homes for safer places. A high level committee headed by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources probed the matter.

"Flaws in drilling plan and negligence by Nico and state-run exploration company Bapex were responsible for the accident", its probe report said. A Nico official contacted by this correspondent on Saturday however said they do not apprehend any thing wrong this time.

"The relief well is being drilled to seal the main well", he said. The January 7 blowout took place when drilling was going on at a depth of 466 metres, he said. Directional drilling of the relief well is progressing well and we hope to complete the job within the targeted period of 45 to 60 days, the official said.

After sealing the burnt out well, the company will go ahead with its original plan for drilling three production wells in the same gas field, the official said.