US Experts Join ONGC to Contain Assam Gas Leak
OIL & GAS

US Experts Join ONGC to Contain Assam Gas Leak

A team of international well control experts from the United States has been mobilised to assist Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in containing a gas leak from one of its wells in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar district. The specialists are expected to arrive at the Rudrasagar oilfield site by the evening of 20 June to bolster containment efforts with advanced technical support.

The incident occurred on 12 June at well number RDS 147A of rig SKP 135, located at Barichuk in Bhatiapar. The site, operated by private contractor SK Petro Services on behalf of ONGC, experienced a blowout, prompting the evacuation of over 1,500 residents from nearby areas.

In a statement issued on 19 June, ONGC said: “We continue to make concerted efforts to control the gas discharge. Multiple junk shot operations have been carried out using varied materials and pressure combinations.”

Operational control of the affected well was taken over by a team led by Vikram Saxena, Director (Technology and Field Services) at ONGC, shortly after the blowout.

As a precautionary measure, ONGC has begun developing an alternate access route to the well to ensure the safe and efficient movement of personnel and equipment. Non-essential equipment and bunk houses are also being removed from the immediate area.

Water blanketing operations are being conducted around the clock to prevent ignition, and preparations for dynamic well killing strategies are ongoing. Continuous ambient air quality monitoring is being carried out at the site, with ONGC confirming that gas concentrations and particulate matter levels remain within permissible limits.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier warned that the leak could result in a major disaster if a fire were to break out at the site. Authorities remain on high alert as ONGC, with support from the incoming US experts, works to bring the situation under control.

A team of international well control experts from the United States has been mobilised to assist Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in containing a gas leak from one of its wells in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar district. The specialists are expected to arrive at the Rudrasagar oilfield site by the evening of 20 June to bolster containment efforts with advanced technical support.The incident occurred on 12 June at well number RDS 147A of rig SKP 135, located at Barichuk in Bhatiapar. The site, operated by private contractor SK Petro Services on behalf of ONGC, experienced a blowout, prompting the evacuation of over 1,500 residents from nearby areas.In a statement issued on 19 June, ONGC said: “We continue to make concerted efforts to control the gas discharge. Multiple junk shot operations have been carried out using varied materials and pressure combinations.”Operational control of the affected well was taken over by a team led by Vikram Saxena, Director (Technology and Field Services) at ONGC, shortly after the blowout.As a precautionary measure, ONGC has begun developing an alternate access route to the well to ensure the safe and efficient movement of personnel and equipment. Non-essential equipment and bunk houses are also being removed from the immediate area.Water blanketing operations are being conducted around the clock to prevent ignition, and preparations for dynamic well killing strategies are ongoing. Continuous ambient air quality monitoring is being carried out at the site, with ONGC confirming that gas concentrations and particulate matter levels remain within permissible limits.Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier warned that the leak could result in a major disaster if a fire were to break out at the site. Authorities remain on high alert as ONGC, with support from the incoming US experts, works to bring the situation under control.

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

CCL to Add 2 New Mines, Boosting Output by 12 MT

Coal India subsidiary Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) is set to commission two new coal mines in the 2025–26 financial year, aiming to enhance its annual production capacity by 10 to 12 million tonnes. The initiative is part of the company’s broader plan to exceed 110 million tonnes of coal production this fiscal and reach 150 million tonnes by 2030.“We have planned to open two new mines this year,” said Nilendu Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of CCL.Production at the Kotre Basantpur block, a coking coal mine with a peak rated capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum, is expecte..

Next Story
Building Material

India Cements Sells ICML Stake for Rs 980 Million

India Cements has announced the sale of its entire equity holding in Industrial Chemicals and Monomers Ltd (ICML) to Mirai Sensing Private Ltd for a consideration of Rs 980 million. The transaction was disclosed through a regulatory filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange.Following the completion of this sale, ICML will cease to be a subsidiary of India Cements, the filing confirmed.ICML, registered in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, had earlier suspended operations. According to the company’s annual report for 2024, the business had become unviable due to reasons previously disclosed. The report fur..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Progcap Targets Rs 30 Billion AUM by FY26 on MSME Credit Demand

MSME-focused fintech firm Progcap is aiming to cross Rs 30 billion in assets under management (AUM) by the end of the current financial year, fuelled by rising demand for formal credit from micro, small and medium enterprises across India. The New Delhi-based firm, which received its NBFC licence in 2022, has been registering robust growth and expects a 40–50 per cent rise in business in FY26.“We ended FY25 with Rs 20 billion in AUM and expect this to rise to Rs 30 billion by March 2026,” said Progcap co-founder Pallavi Shrivastava. She added that sanctioned loans are also expected to gr..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?