Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) today successfully brought under control a critical gas well blowout in Assam’s Sivasagar district, drawing a close to a two-week emergency that had prompted evacuations and sparked safety apprehensions across the region. The uncontrolled release from well RDS 147A, which began on June 12, was finally capped at 11:15 am, thanks to the collaborative efforts of ONGC’s Crisis Management Team and international well control specialists. The complex operation concluded without any reported casualties, injuries, or fire incidents, a significant relief for all involved.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri lauded the swift resolution, noting that the timeline represented the “shortest possible time” for such an emergency, adhering to global best practices. He attributed the safe outcome to meticulous planning and a well-coordinated response. The incident had cast a long shadow over local communities, with residents in the vicinity facing potential health and safety risks from gas emissions. Local authorities had implemented precautionary measures and evacuation protocols, as technical teams toiled relentlessly to contain the situation.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his appreciation for the “extraordinary levels of perseverance” displayed by the residents of Sivasagar, particularly those directly affected, who extended their full cooperation to emergency response agencies throughout the crisis. The containment effort saw multiple agencies working in close coordination, with state administration officials providing continuous on-ground support to the technical teams. ONGC had deployed specialised equipment and considerable expertise to tackle the intricate engineering challenge posed by the uncontrolled gas release.