ONGC, oil firms halt operations in western offshore

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation today suspended drilling operations in the western offshore while other oil companies took steps to protect their installations from a tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea.

However, crude oil and natural gas production from fields in the western offshore and operations at refineries and liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals on the west coast remained unaffected by the cyclone.

“We are on full alert and have suspended all drilling and offshore maintenance and construction work (off the Mumbai coast),” said ONGC Chairman and Managing Director R S Sharma. “We are taking all precautions and I don’t think the storm will have any major impact on any of our assets.”

The western offshore is the home to the nation’s largest oil and gas fields of the Mumbai High and Bassein. The fields produce 320,000 barrels per day, or about half of the nation’s total crude output.

Besides, over 45 million standard cubic metres of natural gas is produced from Mumbai High, Heera and Bassein.