COMMENTARY
INTERVIEWS
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES

Fire continues to rage in ONGC gas well

Gas continues to flare up from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation offshore gas well B-121-D which has been burning since yesterday at Bombay High, 160 km northwest of Bombay in the Arabian Sea. A massive effort is on to prevent the fire from spreading, a spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, the fire which erupted yesterday about 12.20 pm after an uncontrolled flow of gas welled out has been localised by having an umbrella of water poured over the leaking well. Four support vessels are spraying water round-the-clock and the operation will continue till the flow is controlled and the well is capped.

The ONGC B-121 platform -- to which the well is connected -- and the rig which was working on the platform are safe. The other four wells of this unmanned platform A,B,C and F have been closed down. Water was still being sprayed on the platform, the spokesperson said, adding that there was no threat of the fire spreading to other oil or gas fields.

Meanwhile, senior ONGC officials continued to work overnight, planning to control and cap the burning well. Though the ONGC has trained manpower and equipment to deal with the situation, it is awaiting the arrival of experts from the American company, Cudd Well Control before the fire is controlled and the well is capped.

Their arrival has been delayed by a day and they will now be arriving tomorrow. The operation control and capping of the well is expected to last at least a week, ONGC sources said.

Business news