Will request Puri to send experts to plug gas leak: Himanta
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Guwahati: Assam CM
Himanta Biswa Sarma
on Tuesday said he would request Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri to send experts to the state as soon as possible to stop the gas leakage from ONGC's oil well at Rudrasagar field in Sivasagar.
Puri, on the other hand, said ONGC officers are in constant touch with international overseas experts.
Addressing a press conference in Dibrugarh, Himanta said in spite of the best efforts put in by ONGC so far, the gas leakage has not stopped. "People are suffering like anything. People have taken shelter in a nearby school. Students are not able to go to schools and colleges. People are not able to resume their normal activity.
There is a lot of anger among the locals," he added.
He said "It will be a huge disaster if somehow it catches fire. So far there is only leakage. So the matter is very serious. The matter is very urgent."
He announced a financial aid of Rs 25,000 each to about 350 families affected by the blowout, with the release of gases continuing for the sixth day on Tuesday. "There are about 350 families in the camp and they are anxious...
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Compensation will be worked out later. For immediate relief, we will be providing Rs 25,000 each to the families from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," he said, adding, the state govt will provide more financial assistance if required.
The blowout began on June 12 at Well No. RDS 147 of rig no SKP 135 of Rudrasagar oil field of ONGC at Barichuk of Bhatiapar. A private firm, SK Petro Services, was operating the well on behalf of the state-run Maharatna company.
The CM further added that the state chief secretary on Tuesday spoke to the ONGC chairman who will visit Sivasagar. He said the ONGC has apprised him that they already invited a specialist from the US and they are hopeful that the leakage would be stopped soon.
Puri, who held a review meeting in Delhi, wrote in a post on his X handle that "high-tech methods such as 'junk pumping' are being deployed and ONGC officers are in constant touch with international overseas experts."
He added in the post that a water blanket is continuously being maintained for a cooling effect and to prevent fire.
The Union minister stated that competent personnel were brought from other work centres of ONGC, and very high-capacity fire pumps, frack pumps, muds, etc, are all working at the site to control the fire. Sources said the blowout occurred during a servicing operation aimed at restarting production from a new zone within the well.
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