The fire was also able to be seen in the regions outside of Baku.
An explosion took place in the Caspian Sea on 4 July at about 9.50 p.m local time. The sound of flames and explosions could be heard in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital. According to social network users, flames were also seen in Salyan, Lankaran and other regions. According to preliminary information, the incident took place near the Umid gas condensate field.
Baku residents observed the fire on the city boulevard. Helicopters are visible over the sea.
"The cause of the explosion is a mud volcano, there is no threat to human life" – SOCAR
SOCAR
said that no industrial facilities of the company were damaged due to the fire, and all the seabed and industrial facilities of the company are continuing to operate normally.
The company said it had sent personnel by ship to the scene to determine the cause of the fire, saying, "a naturally burning mud volcano was observed on Dashli Island, located about 30 kilometers from the coast between Alat settlement and Neftchala city. During the observation, the fire was extinguished, and there was no infrastructure in the oil industry nearby."
"As a result of the eruption of mud volcanoes due to their connection with oil and gas fields, methane and other flammable gases have been released in the past. There was no infrastructure for the oil industry near the mud volcano", SOCAR's statement continued.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations
also noted that no accident occurred at oil and gas production or other industrial and transport infrastructure facilities during the preliminary investigation. According to preliminary observations, a mud volcano erupted on Dashli Island, about 30 kilometers from the coast in the direction of the Salyan region of the sea. Currently, a relatively small flame can still be seen in the crater of the volcano. The volcano does not pose a threat to offshore oil and gas infrastructure and other facilities, as well as human life.
The Republican Seismological Service Center
reported
that an earthquake was recorded in the Caspian Sea on 5 July: “The epicenter was registered at 04:02 local time at a depth of 44 kilometers. The magnitude of the earthquake was 3.2.
