JAISALMER: A major crude oil leak was reported on Sunday morning from a pipeline connected to a well pad operated by Vedanta Cairn Oil & Gas near Bothiya village in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. The spilled crude oil spread across two agricultural fields, affecting an area of nearly 500 metres.Following the incident, engineers and officials from Cairn Vedanta rushed to the site. As a precautionary measure, the company immediately shut down the crude oil supply through the pipeline passing through the area. However, crude oil remaining inside the pipeline continued to seep into the fields in small quantities. The exact location of the leak has not yet been identified, and engineers are working to locate the leakage point while investigating its cause.According to available information, the pipeline runs from Bhagyam Well Pad-12 to the Mother Well Pad near Bothiya village. On Sunday morning, crude oil suddenly began leaking into the agricultural fields owned by farmers Daulat Ram, Premaram, and Fakiraram. Within a short time, crude oil had spread over approximately 500 metres of farmland, with a significant quantity accumulating in one section of the fields.After being informed by the farmers, company officials reached the site and began emergency response operations. The pipeline supply was suspended, and engineers assessed the situation.Company representatives also met farmer Daulat Ram. A pit was excavated using a JCB machine to collect the spilled crude oil at one location, from where it is being removed by tankers for safe disposal.Farmer Daulat Ram said the crude oil leak from the pipeline had severely affected one of his fields. His family owns nearly 100 bighas of agricultural land, but the contaminated field has suffered extensive damage due to the oil spill. He added that company officials had dug a pit to prevent the oil from spreading further.An official of Vedanta Cairn Oil & Gas in Barmer confirmed the incident, stating that company experts reached the site immediately after receiving information about the leak. The official said the crude oil supply through the pipeline has been suspended, although a small quantity of oil remaining in the pipeline is still seeping into the field. Specialists are conducting a detailed investigation to identify the exact leakage point and determine the cause of the incident.Notably, this is the second such incident in the area this year. On February 23, crude oil leaked into a field near Aishwarya Well Pad-08 in the Kavas area of Barmer, spreading across nearly four bighas of farmland. It took the company approximately five days to completely stop that leak.Company statement regarding crude oil leakageOn July 5, 2026, a liquid leak occurred near a well-pad site in Bhagyam, Rajasthan. Our operations team responded promptly to confine it to a limited area. We are continuously monitoring the site and have taken all necessary containment measures to prevent spread and mitigate any potential impact.We remain committed to ensuring the safety of the community and the environment.
