Fire on Bulla-Deniz Continues (UPDATED)

The fire that broke out on the offshore gas condensate field Bulla-Deniz in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea on August 17 at 23.30 has been continuing the second day. "There has been an open gushing gas, which caught fire," the website of SOCAR said. The same site reports that workers on the platform were evacuated. "At present, the platform is surrounded by fire-fighting vessels and is in control. After closing the well, fire suppression will start," said the same source. The causes of the fire are unclear.

On Monday, August 19 a source in SOCAR said that today in this organization a meeting was held under the leadership of President Rovnag Abdullayev. They outlined measures to eliminate the consequences of the accident. It was also noted that there was no fire affected.

However, the head of the Committee for Protection of Oil Workers Rights Mirvari Gahramanli argues that there are victims, but their presence is hidden, and for this purpose they are placed in a private clinic. Gahramanli believes that the fire was caused by leadership of the Office of Complex Drilling Works.

Bulla-Deniz is in the open sea, 80 km from Baku. -16B04-

2013 August 18 (Sunday) 19:33:58

A fire began at 23:30 on August 17 offshore gas condensate field "Bulla-Deniz" field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. According to SOCAR, a fire occurred at the exploration well N29 during drilling at a depth of about six km.

"There was an open gas, which caught fire," reads the website of SOCAR.

Workers who were on the platform were evacuated. "At present, fire-fighting vessels are controlling the platform. After closing the well, extinguishing of fire will begin," said the same source. The causes of fire are unclear.

"Bulla-Deniz" is in the open sea, 80 km from Baku. -02D-