Fire at ONGC rig in Andhra

Company says no casualty, loss estimated at Rs 8 crore.

A major fire broke out at an exploration rig owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) near Amalapuram, Rajahmundry, in east Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh today.

While there were reports that at least two persons of the 30 working on rig E-1400 were missing, a company release said there were no casualties and that the rig crew had been evacuated safely.

The rig was completely destroyed in the fire causing a loss of around Rs 8 crore to ONGC. Along with the rig, four other vehicles parked at the site also melted in the fire.

Fire broke out at around 11.30 am at a high pressure gas exploration well at Pasarlapudi village, 6 km from Amalapuram. The fire was caused by a blowout at the well.

Over 30 workers, seven of them working on the rig, were present at the time of the accident at E1400-20 site. All of them could safely escape into the nearby fields before the fire engulfed the area, according to the company.

The workers were alerted by sounds coming from underground just 5-10 minutes before the blast.

According to eyewitnesses, only one worker suffered burns on his back while fleeing the site.

Local authorities evacuated around 100 families from Thandavapalli village.

Officials suspect that insufficient pumping of chemical mud into the well during the drilling could be a possible reasons behind the accident.

Visakhapatnam steel plant and Eastern Naval Command sent fire tenders and foam from Visakhapatnam to assist ONGC officials.

Despite the accident, no production loss is reported at ONGC wells in the KG Basin. This is because officials have made alternate arrangements to ensure normal supply of gas to industries and power projects located in the area.

This is the second biggest blowout in KG Basin since January 8, 1995. It had then taken two months to put off the fire. With the help of foreign teams, the Pasarlapudi well was capped and killed on March 10, 1995.

ONGC's crisis management team has reached the site. Attempts are being made to put out the fire, which has also engulfed the rig which was drilling the well.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy held an emergency meeting here to review the situation and directed the district administration to take up evacuation and suitable measures on a war-footing.