(Image source from: Madhyamamonline.com)
A significant gas leak from an active ONGC oil well led to widespread fear in a village located in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. This oil well is situated in Irusumanda, part of the Razole region in Konaseema. The leak occurred during repair work that was taking place with a workover rig after the well had briefly stopped producing. While the repairs were ongoing, a strong blowout expelled a large amount of gas combined with crude oil, sending it soaring into the sky. Local officials reported that the escaped gas quickly caught fire, resulting in flames breaking out at the site, which startled both the local residents and the authorities. Thick clouds of gas and smoke spread over Irusumanda and nearby areas like heavy mist, according to officials.
To ensure safety, authorities made announcements through loudspeakers telling people in three close villages to refrain from using electricity, turning on devices, or lighting stoves to reduce the risk of fire. Panchayat leaders and local officials urged villagers to leave their homes right away. In reaction, many people left their houses and took their livestock to safety as the situation was tense. ONGC workers hurried to the location to manage the gas leak and control the fire. The area has since been sealed off, and officials are keeping a close watch on the situation while emergency actions are being implemented to protect public safety. Higher district officials and ONGC representatives are currently on site to supervise the developments.
ONGC has a major presence in the Krishna Godavari delta basin in East Godavari district and the surrounding areas of Andhra Pradesh. The company operates its Rajahmundry Onshore Asset and Eastern Offshore Asset in the region, extracting natural gas, crude oil, and related hydrocarbons from several offshore rigs in the Bay of Bengal and onshore fields in East Godavari. The hydrocarbons obtained from offshore platforms are transported through a dedicated network of subsea and onshore pipelines to ONGC’s onshore processing facilities located in the Yanam district of Puducherry and Mallavaram in Andhra Pradesh, with supporting infrastructure also found in places like Tatipaka. After processing, gas is sent to national transmission networks, while crude oil is directed to other sites for additional handling and refining.
