ONGC reports blowout at gas well in Konaseema; no casualties

A natural gas leak from an ONGC well led to a blowout on the outskirts of Irusumanda village in Malkipuram mandal of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district on Monday. No casualties were reported. The incident occurred at well Mori-5.

Fire engulfs the ONGC natural gas well Mori-5 following a leak at Irusumanda village in Malkipuram mandal of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district on Monday.
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BY ARRANGEMENT

According to an official release from ONGC, the blowout occurred on Monday afternoon while repair work was under way to enhance the natural gas flow. The operation was being carried out by PEC Operator Deep Industries Limited, an agency hired by ONGC.

“There is no human habitation within 600 metres of the well. Cooling operations are in progress, and possibilities to control or cap the gas flow are being explored,” ONGC authorities said. “We have initiated coordination with international well-control experts for advanced well-control and casing-cutting operations,” the ONGC Rajahmundry Asset team added.

Meanwhile, ONGC teams are monitoring the situation. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar inspected the blowout site and nearby villages to assess preparedness measures.