BackONGC restores ‘near normalcy’ at Mumbai High following gas leak
Western offshore fields producing 310,000 barrels a day
Premium
New Delhi: State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC) has restored “near normalcy" at its prime Mumbai High oil and gas fields after a minor gas leak from a well being drilled.
The western offshore fields of ONGC are producing at near normal rate of 310,000 barrels a day and all personnel and facilities are unharmed. “I think the leak has been blown out of proportion. In course of drilling operations, minor leaks happen and it all depends on how the company responds to it. We had all emergency procedure in place. There was no blowout and all non-essential personnel were safely evacuated," a top ONGC official said. Drilling rig Sagar Uday was operating at NS platform in Mumbai High North oil and gas field on well number NSBX for side-tracking. The depth reached is around 1,183 metres.
Early morning on Saturday, gas flow was observed from the outermost casing annulus. The operation had been stopped for safety reasons. Forty eight persons were evacuated to nearby installations. “It was a minor, non-threatening leak. Operations are normal and the leakage will be plugged today. Its near normalcy at the fields," the official said. As a precaution, ONGC had shut gas injection into some of the nearby wells in the Mumbai High North fields. “In a field with close to a thousand wells, stoppage of gas injection in three-four wells will not lead to any significant loss of oil production," the official said.
The wells will be put to production after the leak is plugged. Five vessels, including two multi-support vessels (MSVs), are on the location for any immediate support. A crisis management team (CMT) of ONGC is on site. Preparation to plug the leak is in progress. An international expert from Boots and Coots has also been mobilised.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
