Fire fields in Boysun mining area explained (video)

A video showing fire fields in the vicinity of the "25th Anniversary of Independence" (M-25) mine, located in the "Kofrun" neighborhood of Boysun district in the Surkhandarya region, has been widely circulated on social media. The Ministry of Energy has issued a statement clarifying the situation.

The ministry confirmed that no unexpected incidents have occurred in the mining area. Planned conservation work is ongoing at the site of a methane emission reported in September 2024. Continuous monitoring is being conducted. During cleaning operations at well No. 604, small amounts of gas were detected in micro-cracks near the surface. To prevent environmental harm, the accumulated gas is being safely burned as part of decontamination efforts. This measure is intended to prevent the release of acidic gases into the atmosphere.

According to the Ministry of Energy, this process adheres to international industrial safety standards and is a common approach to mitigating environmental pollution. However, the ministry noted that the specific technological processes involved may be misinterpreted by individuals unfamiliar with such operations, as demonstrated by the video circulating online.

It is important to recall that on September 1, 2024, a sulfur (hydrogen sulfide) gas release occurred at well No. 604 due to a breach of technological procedures during drilling. In response, residents near the mine were evacuated for their safety. Senior government officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister, visited the site. On September 14, at 13:05, a leakage prevention device (PVO) was installed, and on September 15, the system was pressurized. By 16:40 that same day, a special solution called Barite was introduced to the well, successfully halting gas emissions.

At a press conference on September 18, Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Jusipbek Kazbekov assured the public that no high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide were escaping from the area and described the incident as a technical issue related to production. Uktam Otayev, head of the Department of Supervision over Law Enforcement in Ecology and Forestry at the Prosecutor General's Office, confirmed that two fatalities had resulted from the situation.