The situation at M-25 (25 Years of Independence) gas field in the Baysun district of the Surkhandarya province is stable and under the control of specialists, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement.
Video footages surfaced from the area on the afternoon of November 3 showing a huge flame erupting from one of the wells, with witnesses testifying to a strong smell of hydrogen sulfide spreading throughout the area.
The smell reportedly first appeared on September 1, 2024, when a gas leak with a high hydrogen sulfide content occurred during drilling operations at well No. 604 of the field due to an accident. Local residents were evacuated, complaining of deteriorating health, with many hospitalized.
Gas release, which the Ministry of Energy called "controlled," occurred at the end of March of this year At well No. 202. To prevent harm to nature and air pollution, the well was ignited.
According to experts, this phenomenon occurred as a result of geological processes taking place at the field, the statement added.
To prevent the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere, the natural gas was promptly re-ignited, the ministry underscored.
This process is a standard method of preventing environmental pollution and fully complies with international industrial safety standards. Currently, the situation is stable and under the control of specialists... This is a normal situation related to the ongoing work to regulate the field, and no extraordinary circumstances have been recorded, they added.
The Ministry of Energy also underscored that the event was not related to the earthquake recorded on the night of November 3 with its epicenter in Afghanistan.
