ONGC loses 1,000 barrels of oil production a day

Company has constituted a committee to ascertain the causes of the gas leakage

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp has lost 1,000 barrels of oil production and 0.11 million standard cubic meters of gas output per day due to a gas leak at its prime Mumbai High fields.

"Efforts are being made to contain the gas leakage (which was reported on July 19)," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha here.

Gas leakage was reported from the annulus of well NS-BX in Mumbai High.

"Water is being sprayed continuously at the leakage point. Gas leakage has subdued considerably and further efforts to completely stop the gas leakage are underway," Pradhan said.

No loss of life or property was reported because of the leakage.

"However, due to closure of well, loss of oil and gas production has been estimated to the tune of 1,000 barrels oil per day and 0.11 mmscmd respectively," he said.

ONGC has constituted a committee to ascertain the causes of the gas leakage. "Remedial measures as recommended by the Committee constituted by ONGC shall be implemented across all ONGC offshore installations," the minister said.

On the day when gas leak occurred, ONGC evacuated all non- essential personnel of the drilling rig to a nearby platform.

The western offshore fields of ONGC are producing at near normal rate of 310,000 barrels per day and all personnel and facilities are unharmed.

Drilling rig Sagar Uday, was operating at NS platform in Mumbai High North oil and gas field on well number NS-BX for side-tracking. The depth reached is around 1,183 metres. On July 19 morning, gas flow was observed from the outermost casing annulus.

The operation has been stopped for safety reasons and 48 persons evacuated to nearby installations.

ONGC has mobilised international expert from Boots & Coots for the stopping the leak.