Guwahati, June 27 (UNI) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully capped a high-risk gas well blowout at its RDS 147A site in Sivasagar district, Assam, bringing an end to a 15-day-long emergency operation that triggered mass evacuation and widespread public anxiety.
The gas well blowout, which began on June 12, involved an uncontrolled release of natural gas from one of ONGC's drilling sites — a situation often considered one of the most hazardous in the oil and gas industry due to the risk of explosion and environmental damage.
The blowout was finally brought under control around noon on Friday through a coordinated effort involving ONGC’s crisis management team and international well-control specialists.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri confirmed the successful sealing of the well, highlighting that the complex operation was completed in the "shortest possible time" while adhering to global safety and technical standards.
He commended the rigorous planning and real-time coordination among multiple stakeholders that led to the safe resolution of the crisis, with no reported casualties, injuries, or fire incidents.
The blowout had disrupted life in parts of Sivasagar, a district historically associated with Assam's oil economy. Local communities bore the brunt of the crisis, with fears over exposure to toxic gas emissions prompting precautionary evacuations.
District authorities swiftly implemented health and safety protocols, relocating families from high-risk zones and setting up medical assistance camps.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma lauded the “extraordinary levels of perseverance” displayed by the people of Sivasagar, especially those living in the vicinity of the blowout site. “Their support enabled technical teams to work uninterruptedly,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.
The capping operation was both logistically and technically complex. ONGC deployed advanced blowout preventer systems, well-kill technology, and brought in international experts with prior experience in managing similar high-pressure incidents.
This is not the first time Assam has faced a blowout crisis. In May 2020, a major gas leak and fire at the Baghjan oil field in Tinsukia district, operated by Oil India Limited (OIL), had led to extensive ecological damage and displacement of thousands.
ONGC has assured that a detailed review of the incident will be undertaken, and additional safety protocols will be instituted to prevent such occurrences.
Environmental monitoring teams have also been deployed to assess the post-capping impact on air and soil quality in the region.
UNI ABD PRS