The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has revoked its June 19 closure notice to Oil India Limited (OIL) with certain conditions after the latter gave an undertaking to respond to queries concerning its operations. Soon after receiving the notice, OIL asked the PCBA to withdraw the order that was “technically not feasible” to comply with. Well Number 5, one of 23 crude oil and natural gas production wells in the Baghjan area of eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district, burst into flames on June 9. The PCBA had in its closure notice said OIL had not taken environmental clearances to operate in the Baghjan area. OIL has been producing a sizeable quantity of crude oil and almost 29% of its natural gas in eastern Assam from the Baghjan oilfield.

Source: The Hindu June 23, 2020 06:56 UTC