Victims of ONGC gas leak in Sivasagar urge CM’s intervention for probe

A CORRESPONDENT

GAURISAGAR: Sensation had prevailed during the gas leak accident which occurred on June 12 at ONGC workover rig 135VI of RDS 147(A) at Bhatiapar Barichuk in Sivasagar district. After Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to the gas leak site, ONGC announced in a press conference that it would conduct a three-tier inquiry into the accident.

The victims as well as the other locals have demanded the intervention of the Chief Minister of Assam for an investigation against the ONGC coordinator, geological officer, service officer, etc. who were present at the scene of the blast.

As a standard procedure, a Blowout Preventer (BOP) with X mass T is used on the iron pipe installed for the flow of crude oil and gas after drilling. The BOP controls the gas and oil in the well when the bomb is detonated for removal and tests are run by ONGC geologists, service officers, etc before the detonation. If the underground gas pressure is high, mud or water containing various chemicals is used to reduce the pressure.

The locals demanded to know if all these processes were completed before the accident on June 12 and also that ONGC make the reports of the tests conducted by the service officer and geologist public. 

Some ONGC experts believe that the accident occurred due to failure to control the gas on the day of the incident. Experts said that the BOP installed in the pipe before the blast may not have had the ability to control the gas or the drilling in-charge was incompetent. Oil company personnel are required to undergo a mines vocational training before drilling. They are trained in companies like ONGC. Sources alleged that sometimes the personnel skip these training programmes and purchase fake training diploma certificates.

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