New Delhi: Gas well blaze will be doused in a week, everything under control, says Andhra official
Amalapuram , The gas well blaze near the Irusumanda village in Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district will be doused in a week’s time, an official said on Tuesday, citing information from ONGC officials.
A massive jet fire of up to 20 metres height and 25 metres width erupted around 12.40 pm on January 5 near Mori and Irusumanda villages after a gas leak at an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation -owned well, Mori-5, whose intensity has been reduced now.
“In one week, we will be capping the whole incident, they said. They said it will take one week. Fire’s intensity and the spread of flames reduced from Tuesday morning slowly. Right now, everything is under control,” Konaseema district collector R Mahesh Kumar said, addressing a press conference, accompanied by ONGC officials.
ONGC officials said the fire will be there for the next four to five days but with a minor flame, he said, adding that ONGC officials have confirmed to him that “there are no chances of escalation”.
“As of now, everything is contained. There is nothing to worry about. We have asked all the local public to come back to their homes and back to normal life,” Kumar said.
Compared to Monday, the collector said, up to 95 per cent of the flame’s intensity, height and width had reduced.
Assuring people that it is at the “bare minimum” level, he said they need not worry, and it is “completely safe”.
Meanwhile, a senior ONGC official said the Maharatna public sector company will soon start capping off the gas well to douse the blaze.
“Surroundings around the well are quite safe for the inhabitants also,” he claimed.
A call will be taken on whether to hire the services of American experts will be taken in a couple of days, he added.
“We have an agreement with a US team, Wild Well, also. So, we will take a call maybe tomorrow or day after tomorrow. They are already waiting and ready with their visas. If required, they will be immediately mobilised,” the official said.
Wild Well Control is a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, US, which offers well control, emergency response, pressure control, relief well planning and other services related to the oil and gas industry, based on “four decades of experience”.
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