Inani gas fire still burning after 24 hours: Bapex suspects gas is rising from a layer about 1,000 feet deep

The fire that broke out in gas escaping from underground during deep tube-well digging at Inani in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, could not be put out even after 24 hours. A specialist team from the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Bapex) was due to start work on Wednesday (28 October) morning to investigate the source and nature of the gas and the cause of the fire. The team had visited the site on Tuesday night.

At around 7:30am on Tuesday, gas began escaping while the ground was being dug for a deep tube-well at the homestead of Mohammad Abdullah near the Inani Choto Khal bridge in Jaliapalong Union, Ukhiya. Fire broke out there shortly after foul-smelling gas came out of the hole.

Saidul Islam, an official of the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, said four fire service units went to the site after receiving the news and began trying to control the fire. But the fire could not be put out because gas kept escaping. As the situation was difficult to control because of limits in manpower and technical equipment, senior authorities were informed and Bapex, Petrobangla and other relevant agencies were later notified.

The Bapex specialists reached Cox's Bazar on Tuesday evening and went to the site at around 10pm. After inspecting the site, Bapex Manager (Geology) and geological survey team leader S M Nafifun Arham said his preliminary assessment is that the tube-well digging had reached close to a gas layer about 1,000 feet deep. From there, gas may have risen through underground fractures or geological faults and escaped through the tube-well hole.

Nafifun Arham said if the top of a gas layer is opened, high-pressure gas can make paths through various underground fractures and reach the surface even days later. The preliminary assessment is that a spark from some source came into contact with the gas and started the fire; it could also have come from human activity or an electrical spark.

Observing the colour of the flames and the smoke, the Bapex official suspects the gas may contain comparatively heavy hydrocarbons. However, the nature and composition of the gas cannot be confirmed until samples are collected and analysed in a laboratory, and for the same reason no conclusion can yet be reached about the size of the gas reserve.

He also said that if an attempt is made to stop the gas emission or block its pressure, gas could escape through another weak place underground, raising the risk further. Ensuring safety and keeping people away from the risky area is therefore the main priority for now. Samples will be collected and analysed in a laboratory to learn the source and nature of the gas.

Fearing the flames could spread to electric wires, power supply has been kept off across an area of about 15 kilometres from Monkhali to Patuartek, the Ukhiya Palli Bidyut Samity said. According to those concerned, it was decided to keep power off until the real risk from the fire is assessed and safety is ensured.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akter said publicity is being carried out asking local residents to stay at a safe distance. Necessary measures are being taken based on the Bapex specialist team's preliminary observations, and it has been decided to isolate an area of 200 metres around the site. Citing local residents, she also said she has heard gas exploration was carried out in this area during the British period. If needed, help from the army and other agencies will be taken to deal with the situation.

With the fire still burning, panic has spread among local residents and hotel workers nearby. Local tourism businessmen Jahangir Alam and Abu Sayed said 11 tourists were killed in a fire at the TupTup Resort in the Patuartek area of Inani 10 days ago; seeing the gas flames from a distance has now created fresh anxiety among locals. Mohammad Alamin, who works at a five-star hotel next to the site, said several hotel workers live in the house beside where the fire started and they are living in great fear as the fire keeps burning.