Drilling of second relief well to be delayed by a week

Greens destroyed by fire following blowout twice in Tengratila gasfiled area. PHOTO: STAR

July 25 July was the date set for starting the drilling. It is very unlikely that preparatory work for the second relief well will be completed by that time, they said.

The preparations are being hampered for a number of reasons including lack of co-ordination among people working at the site and the rains, an official said seeking anonymity.

Heavy rain in the last few days has made the proposed drilling pad and surrounding areas too muddy to continue the work, the official said.

A few months ago, the gas field authorities developed the marshy land with silt collected from riverbed nearby to drill a production well. After the second blowout, the gas field operator, Canadian oil company Niko, selected the same site for drilling the second relief well. The spot is only about 230 metres off the main well where the first blowout took place on January 7 this year.

A team of US and Australian drilling experts while visiting the gas field area last week suggested changing the site. They asked the authorities to dig the well at least 300 metres off the main well. A new location has been selected at the suggestion of the experts who also said that the second blowout took place due to the short distance between the first relief well and the main well.

They had advised the authorities to complete preparations for the second relief well as early as possible. But Niko is yet to submit a fresh plan and design for the relief well, the source added.

Australian company Century has been entrusted with the task of drilling the relief well as a sub-contractor. The company had successfully drilled three wells at Moulvibazar gas field under Unocal.

Niko had earlier appointed US company Parker for drilling the first relief well, which suffered the latest blowout and explosion on 24 June.

Meanwhile, fire at the main exit point has come down below five feet but small flames are still seen at least 30 points in the area. Besides, gas is still leaking, making innumerable bubbles on the marshy land to the north of the gas field.

The Petrobangla Chairman on Thursday said July 30 has been fixed for digging the relief well but it may be delayed by a day or two.

Briefing the Parliamentary Standing committee on Public Undertakings about the Tengratila disaster, he also said Niko has not yet submitted a design of the relief well as they are amending it.