Energy major ONGC has mobilised a team of well-control experts from the US as part of its ongoing efforts to cap the uncontrolled gushing of gas from one of its oil wells in upper Assam’s Sivasagar district.
The blowout took place on June 12 in the morning.
The ONGC said in a statement on Thursday evening: “An international team of well control experts has been mobilised from the US and is expected to reach the site by the evening of 20 June... to augment the response with specialised expertise. "
It added: "ONGC remains fully committed to ensuring the safety of the local community and the environment, and is working in close coordination with national and international experts to resolve the situation at the earliest.”
The ONGC did not reveal the names of the experts or the organisation they belonged to but sources said they could be from the Texas-based Cudd Well Control, a “leader in rapid well control response and engineering services worldwide”. The experts will reach Delhi on Thursday and Sivasagar on Friday, the source said, adding the operation to cap may “take between four to seven more days”.
The blowout has resulted in the evacuation of 330 families from the affected area and has triggered protests against ONGC and the private company engaged by it for the servicing of the well.
On Thursday afternoon, the effigy of petroleum minister H.S. Puri was burnt by the Bir Lachit Sena, a radical regional outfit. The private firm, SK Petro, was also stopped by protesters from removing its equipment and machinery from the affected site. At least three organisations have sought the blacklisting of the private firm.