Ongoing Gas Leak From ONGC Well In Assam Enters 14th Day

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Guwahati
• Jun 26, 2025
• 675

Gas leak from Well No. RDS 147A at ONGC’s Rudrasagar oil field near Bhatiapar has continued for 14 days, raising alarms in the local community and prompting a large-scale emergency response.

What Happened?

The leak began on June 12 during a routine servicing operation, specifically a zone transfer perforation, carried out by SK Petro Services, a private contractor.

The blowout occurred despite the well being non-productive at the time.

Current Status of Containment

ONGC has achieved a “critical milestone” by:

Removing 42 tubing stands and the rig base using heavy cranes.

Clearing the site for dismantling the Blowout Preventer (BOP) and installing a capping stack.

A team of three US blowout control experts, working with technical partner CUDD, is now on-site.

High-pressure water blanketing continues using water from the Dikhow River, though rising water levels are complicating logistics.

Public Safety & Environmental Concerns

The gas is reportedly non-toxic and confined within a 500-metre risk radius, according to ONGC.

Over 330 families have been displaced and moved to relief camps in Bangaon.

The Assam government has provided ₹25,000 to each affected family and deployed medical teams and air-quality monitoring stations.

All environmental readings remain within safe limits, ONGC claims.

Public & Government Response

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma urged Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to direct ONGC to adopt a “mission mode” approach.

Locals have criticized ONGC’s perceived slow response, calling for greater transparency and urgency.

Key Takeaways

ONGC says it is on the verge of capping the well, but gas continues to leak for a second week, with operations complicated by weather and terrain.

The incident has highlighted potential gaps in emergency preparedness, even though the company claims to be prioritizing environmental and community safety.