Blowout: Blowout... a big danger to the environment!

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Oil and natural gas are essential energy sources for modern society. But the blowouts occurring during their exploration and production are alarming. These occur when oil or gas rises up through a well due to high pressure underground. Recently, a large-scale fire broke out in an ONGC well near Irusumanda in Dr. BR Ambedkar's Konaseema district of AP. A special fluid called 'drilling mud' is pumped into the oil or gas well to balance this pressure during drilling. The resulting hydrostatic pressure should be equal to, or greater than, the subsurface pressure. Otherwise, oil and gas will suddenly come out of the well. This is called 'kick'. If not controlled immediately, it can become very dangerous. Blowout preventer devices are crucial to prevent this situation which poses a serious threat to people's lives, agriculture, water resources and the surrounding environment. But if these are not managed properly and if the personnel is not properly trained, these devices will fail and the risk will increase.

How do fires break out?

During a blowout, oil and natural gas continue to come out rapidly from the depths of the earth without control. When this gas mixes with oxygen in the surface air it becomes instantly flammable. At exactly the same time, any small spark will burst into flames in no time. As electric switches, engines, generators etc. are turned on near oil and gas wells, there is scope for fires. Engine heat can cause fire. Blowout accidents are nothing new in the country. Locals still remember the January 1995 blowout in Pasharlapudi area of ​​the joint East Godavari district. The fire that started in the oil-gas well there continued for about 65 days. A gas well blowout in Assam's Tinsukia district in June 2020 sparked a nationwide debate. The incident took place near the Dibru-Saikhova National Park and it took 173 days to put out the fire, causing severe damage to the environment. This is the longest blowout in the country. Now the blowout in Konaseema in AP is rekindling such old wounds. There, an old oil well was being tested to extract deposits when the air pressure in the depths of the earth suddenly went out of control. A fire broke out as the gas suddenly came out. Temperatures of 50 degrees spread for half a kilometer around. This incident once again warned how dangerous the maintenance of old wells in delta areas is. The Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 created the most terrifying situation. Due to the failure of the blowout preventer, billions of liters of oil spilled into the sea and the ecosystem there was badly damaged. Many people lost their lives. Blowout hazards have been increasing for some time as oil and natural gas exploration has expanded toward deeper, higher-pressure geologic areas. Repairs in old wells also increase this threat.

To effectively prevent...

To effectively prevent blowouts, the underground pressure must be accurately estimated in advance. AI-based real-time monitoring should be undertaken to ensure that the weight and chemical composition of the 'drilling mud' is correct during drilling. The key is to provide blowout prevention equipment of international standards. On the other hand, the disaster response force should be kept on constant alert and robust plans should be made to deal effectively with accidents. Educating people in the vicinity of oil and gas wells about blowouts can significantly reduce life and environmental losses. Organizations and governments should realize that people's safety and environmental protection are more important than energy needs and focus on effectively preventing accidents like blowout. Many who feel that they do not, seek asylum abroad. Egypt, America and Germany are receiving such requests more and more. How many people applied for asylum in the respective countries in 2024... (in lakhs)

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