Capping of Assam's Sivasagar gas blowout a high-precision operation, says ONGC (Ld)

New Delhi/Guwahati, June 27 (IANS) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Friday announced the successful capping of the gas blowout at its Well RDS-147A in Assam’s Sivasagar district, terming the complex operation a milestone executed with “high precision and coordination.”

The confirmation came after Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri announced the development on X, praising ONGC's Crisis Management Team and its partners for resolving the situation safely and swiftly.

In an official statement, ONGC said the capping operation marked a major achievement in the well control efforts, following a blowout that occurred during service operations at the site on June 12. The incident had led to an uncontrolled gas discharge from the well.

The statement noted that at dawn on Friday, ONGC’s Crisis Management Team, along with experts from international firm CUDD Pressure Control and local operations personnel, began the critical task of removing the damaged Blowout Preventer (BOP) from the wellhead.

“The entire operation was conducted with meticulous planning, technical finesse, and close coordination to maintain stability and avoid any imbalance or toppling during the lifting of the damaged BOP,” the ONGC spokesperson said.

Once the damaged BOP was safely extracted, a pre-positioned capping stack -- prepared at a staging area -- was carefully installed onto the wellhead. The redirection of gas flow through this capping stack ensured the containment of the leak. With the capping stack firmly in place, the BOP was then successfully closed, effectively sealing the well and ending the gas discharge.

“This successful capping underlines ONGC’s engineering excellence and collaborative strength, made possible through the relentless efforts of its Crisis Management Team, international experts, and the unwavering support of local units,” the ONGC statement said.

The company confirmed that the entire operation was completed without a single injury, casualty, or incident of fire -- a testament to the safety standards followed during the high-risk mission.

ONGC also expressed gratitude to the District and State Administration of Assam, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), and the local community for their “unwavering support and cooperation,” which played a crucial role in the safe and timely resolution of the crisis.

The company emphasised that it maintained full transparency throughout the operation, issuing daily updates over the past two weeks to keep stakeholders informed.

“ONGC remains committed to the highest standards of safety, environmental stewardship, and operational excellence,” the statement added.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri shared the news on X, writing: “ONGC has successfully capped the blowout of well RDS#147A at 1115 hours today. The blowout, which began on June 12, has been resolved in the shortest possible time, following all best practices.”

He lauded ONGC’s Crisis Management Team and international well control experts for their “meticulous planning and concerted efforts,” which brought the blowout to an end without any harm to personnel or property.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also expressed his appreciation, thanking the Union Minister and ONGC for their prompt and coordinated response.

In a post on X, Sarma said: “Thank you Hon’ble Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri Ji for your exceptional leadership and persistence in sealing the gas leak at RDS#147A, Sivasagar -- which has been a great cause of concern for all of us.”

He also praised the resilience of the affected communities and the cooperation extended by local residents. “My deepest gratitude to the brave men and women of Sivasagar, especially those residing in the affected areas, for displaying extraordinary perseverance and extending unstinted support to all concerned agencies over the last two weeks,” Sarma added.

The capping of Well RDS-147A concludes a critical chapter in ONGC’s emergency response operations and marks a significant step in ensuring safety and environmental integrity in the region.

--IANS

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