By R. Jai Krishna
NEW DELHI--Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (500312.BY) is working to
contain a fire at its onshore well in Olpad area, about 80
kilometers from Ankleshwar in India's western coast, according to a
company statement.
A fire broke out Saturday afternoon during repair maintenance
work at the plant, injuring 12 people, including five from the
crisis-management team, India's flagship oil and gas explorer
said.
The company said three of the injured were discharged from
hospital Saturday, while two are likely to be discharged soon. The
rest are in critical but stable condition, it said.
ONGC said it has called in experts from Boots & Coots
Services, a unit of Halliburton Co. (HAL), to help contain the
fire. "[They] are expected to reach the well site soon," it
said.
Meanwhile, the company said it has stepped up efforts to drill a
relief well to help it reach the affected subsurface and plug the
affected well at the bottom to stop further gas flow.
"Water is being continuously sprayed over the wellhead to keep
the area cool so as not to let fire spread further. Fire is
intentionally not being extinguished as gas gushing out needs to be
burned at wellhead till such time well stops flow of the gas," the
statement said.
Write to R. Jai Krishna at krishna.jai@wsj.com
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