The explanation of the drilling company is something bordering on the unbelievable. From the reports in the media, the blowout appears to have been caused, once again, by poor technical planning, lack of timely action and absence of constant supervision.

That there was lax supervision there is no doubt, something which also the advisor to the ministry has recognised in his initial reaction to the media.

The report of the investigation committee headed by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, on the first blowout in Jan 2005 had categorically blamed the company for serious negligence as well as fault in the drilling plan. BAPEX came in for criticism also. It is incomprehensible that a relief-well, being dug to sort the problem arising out of the last blowout, will suffer the same fate!

We are told that almost 500 crores taka will go up in flames by the time it is doused. What one cannot expect is the facile manner in which losses and compensations are spoken about, as if it is the loss of gas, which of course is a very important factor that counts for everything in the equation. Equally important, and something we often tend to overlook, is the adverse impact that such disasters have on the lives of the people of the affected area as well on the flora and fauna which might take many many years to be recouped. For all that one can say some of the losses may not be recouped at all.

In the past we had raised serious reservations regarding competence of some of the companies prospecting for gas in Bangladesh. We suggest the government take a comprehensive review of work in all our gas fields and their safety procedures, before more such incidents occur.