What Actions is ONGC Taking After the Fire Incident at the Andhra Well?
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Amaravati, Jan 5 (NationPress) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has activated its crisis management teams in response to a fire that erupted due to a gas leak at one of its wells in the Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday.
As part of the ongoing efforts, ONGC is conducting preparatory measures to ensure well control and, if necessary, capping of the well.
The gas leak incident occurred during workover operations at the Mori-5 well, which was reported by the PEC operator, Deep Industries Limited, in the Mori field area of Andhra Pradesh.
This well is situated in a remote location, approximately 500 to 600 metres away from any human settlement, and thankfully, there have been no injuries or fatalities reported so far, according to the statement.
“The area has been secured, cooling operations are underway, and ONGC has deployed Crisis Management Teams (CMT and RCMT). Preparatory work is ongoing to facilitate well control and, if necessary, well capping,” the statement elaborated.
Additionally, ONGC has begun coordinating with international well-control experts and has arranged for mobilization of resources to support advanced well-control and casing-cutting activities, contingent upon site evaluation.
ONGC's senior management and technical specialists are diligently overseeing the situation, with additional equipment being sourced from nearby areas, including Narsapuram.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Kumar, the Collector of Konaseema district, indicated that fire service personnel are tirelessly working to extinguish the flames. He mentioned that it might take around 24 hours to determine if the fire can be completely controlled.
As of now, there have been no fatalities reported, and local authorities along with residents have been urged to stay vigilant.
As a precaution, students from schools in nearby villages have been evacuated, he noted.
The Collector also confirmed that all necessary assistance is being provided to ONGC to navigate this situation.
He clarified that the Mori-5 well is independent and has no connection to the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) pipeline.
Furthermore, it was stated that the Mori-5 well might hold between 20 and 40 cubic metres of natural gas.