Has ONGC Completed the Blowout Control Plan at Andhra Well?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Amaravati, Jan 6 (NationPress) - The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) announced on Tuesday that a detailed blowout control strategy has been established at the Mori-5 well located in Andhra Pradesh’s Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, where the fire has persisted for the second consecutive day.
The senior management team of ONGC, including Director (Technology & Field Services) Vikram Saxena from Delhi, along with experts from the Crisis Management Team (CMT), has taken operational charge of the well situated in Irusumanda village within the Malkipuram mandal.
“The excavation for a temporary canal leading from a nearby irrigation source has been completed to allow the deployment of high-capacity firewater pumps. These pumps have arrived at the wellsite, and placement is currently underway. A thorough blowout control plan has been put in place,” ONGC stated.
The state-owned oil and gas company noted a gradual decline in the intensity and size of the flames. It was also reported that the team has successfully altered the flame direction to a vertical position.
Continuous monitoring of air quality, noise levels, and nearby water bodies is being conducted to reduce environmental impact within a 600-meter radius, the corporation added.
ONGC is maintaining ongoing coordination with all relevant stakeholders, including district and police administrations, local authorities, and the media, to ensure transparency and an effective response. All operations are being executed with the utmost focus on safety and environmental responsibility.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conducted a review of the situation through a high-level meeting in Amaravati.
Officials briefed him regarding the events following Monday’s incident. Home Minister V. Anitha, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, and other officials updated the Chief Minister on the strategies various departments are implementing to address the leakage and safeguard residents.
The Chief Minister emphasized that such incidents can cause public panic and insisted that citizens should be reliably informed about the actual circumstances and provided necessary support.
He ordered the district administration to ensure that individuals displaced from their homes and villages do not encounter any difficulties. Additionally, he directed that compensation be provided to farmers who suffered losses to their coconut trees due to the fire.