ONGC clears way for capping well in Assam, residents to return as gas leak curbed

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) said on Sunday that it has paved the way for capping of its well following the gas blowout that took place on June 12 at the Rudrasagar oil field in Assam's Sivasagar district.

A further decline in gas pressure has been achieved, which is expected to facilitate a safer and more controlled capping of the well. As a continuous safety measure, water blanketing of the well is being maintained around the clock, according to a company statement.

The ONGC said that in collaboration with international well control experts from Cudd Pressure Control, it has achieved a significant milestone in its ongoing operations at Well RDS#147A.

Approximately 10 trailer loads of rig material have been successfully removed by ONGC’s Crisis Management Team (CMT) and the expert crew, clearing the majority of the rig equipment from the site and paving the way for the upcoming well capping operation. The necessary heavy equipment required for the capping process is currently being mobilised to the site.

In parallel, the team has conducted a detailed inspection of the elevated section of the rig mast to plan the safe removal of the tubing stacked in the derrick. A specialised extra-long boom crane is being mobilised for this critical operation, with deployment scheduled at the earliest possible time.

Air quality monitoring continues uninterrupted in and around the site. Encouragingly, there is no detectable trace of hydrocarbons beyond 30 metres from the well. Based on current assessments, residents living beyond a 500-metre radius from the incident site have now been advised that it is safe to return to their homes and resume normal activities, including cooking and the use of electricity.

Additionally, the ONGC said it continues to actively support the district administration at the relief camps. The corporation is providing 24/7 medical assistance to all those in need, reaffirming its commitment to the well-being of the affected communities.

--IANS

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