OIL’s decision to deploy drones comes almost a year after a similar permission was granted by the government to IOC for four months to monitor the Delhi-Panipat pipeline. However, IOC was allowed to use drones only during the day and within visual line of sight.
In Assam, theft occurs at both the over and underground pipelines that carry motor spirit and crude oil from the wells. There have been occasions in the past couple of decades, when thieves have stolen crude oil and the condensate from well heads and motor spirit from oil tankers.
A police official pointed out that thieves have been making use of different techniques to drill holes in the pipelines.
“A small spark could cause a blast. The drilling of the hole is a slow process and done very meticulously by the thieves to prevent accidents,” said the official who was earlier posted in the affected district of Tinsukia.
Recently, thieves were found adopting precautionary measures such as spraying chemicals to avoid sparks,…