Gas Fire Burns for 15 Days in Inani, Authorities Seek Alternative Method to Control It
An uncontrolled gas fire that broke out during the drilling of a deep tube well in Inani, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, has continued to burn for 15 days. As the fire remains uncontrolled, the authorities concerned have decided to adopt an alternative method to stop the gas flow. A team of senior technical experts from Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) has already visited the site.
As of Tuesday (November 10), flames were still burning continuously at the mouth of the tube well.
Initially, the authorities monitored the situation for several days to assess whether the gas was coming from a small pocket in a shallow underground layer. However, the gas flow has shown no signs of weakening even after more than two weeks. As a result, safely controlling and stopping the flow has now become the top priority.
A BAPEX official familiar with the matter said the main priority is to bring the uncontrolled gas flow under control and shut it off safely. There are no indications of oil at the site; only gas is flowing out. However, further tests are needed to determine whether the gas can be extracted commercially. A decision on whether to conduct further exploration at the site will be made after the gas flow has been completely stopped.
It is worth noting that on October 27, gas began gushing out from underground at high pressure during the drilling of a deep tube well in Inani, Ukhiya. The site later caught fire, and the flames have continued to burn since then. The prolonged fire has raised safety concerns among local residents. At the same time, the possibility of discovering a new gas well has generated considerable excitement and enthusiasm among people in the area.
