ONGC lost Rs 9 cr, 400 tonne of crude oil during strike

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has lost Rs 9 crore and 400 tonne of crude oil production in the last three days due to the 96-hour ONGC bandh called by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) from Monday in upper Assam.

According to an ONGC spokesman here, oil drilling, transportation and production operations were severely hit following the bandh causing the PSU oil firm to lose Rs 3 crore a day and 400 tonne of crude in the last three days.

Drilling operations and production in the Rudrasagar, Geleky, Lakwa and other oil fields in the district had almost come to a standstill even as an attempt was being made to maintain production from the safety point of view, the spokesman said.

ONGC Onshore Director Ajit Hazarika told PTI that this halt in the oil flow during winter has caused loss in terms of both money and natural resources.

"There is a danger of wax formation in the oil wells which will negatively affect oil exploration," he said.

Stating there was no proposal to separate ONGC-Assam Assets from ONGC, Hazarika said AASU should withdraw its bandh in the interest of the people of the state as ONGC-Assam Assets would be exclusively for the state and will not be privatised.