Operations to contain gas leakage underway at ONGC blow out site

VADODARA: A day after a major blow out at a well of the Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) near Bhayali village here, operations to arrest the gas leakage continued on Saturday even as the crisis management team reached the site to take stock of the situation.

About six fire tenders, including from Vadodara Municipal Corporation, that were pressed into service sprayed water throughout the night till this morning, which has helped in controlling the blow out, D P Sahstrabuddhe, in charge of Vadodara region of ONGC, said today.

Experts from various ONGC locations have reached the site for controlling the gas blow out from well number 33. It is easy to carry operations during daytime, he said adding operations are still underway.

The incident took place last evening in the ONGC Cambay rig during a drilling routine. Cambay is sub-asset of ONGC's Anklewar asset in the state.

Blow out is a phenomenon where mud and gas revert with high pressure from the rig during drilling work over operations and at times fire also breaks out, ONGC officials said.

ONGC sources said there was no evacuation has been carried out from the areas near the site although people have been asked to take safety measures and not to light fire places for cooking purposes as the gas was oozing out at a very high rate from the rig.