Guwahati, June 27: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has successfully capped the blowout at Well RDS#147A in Bhatiapar, ending a high-stakes, two-week-long emergency operation without a single injury, casualty, or fire.
The gas blowout, which began during service operations on June 12, prompted a rapid response from ONGC’s Crisis Management Team (CMT), international well control experts from Cudd Pressure Control, and local crews. The team worked under intense pressure to bring the situation under control.
At dawn on Friday, the CMT began the critical operation to safely extract the damaged Blowout Preventer (BOP) from the wellhead. This was done with precision to avoid imbalance or structural collapse during lifting.
With the BOP removed, a pre-positioned capping stack was carefully installed, securely redirecting the gas flow and containing the discharge. ONGC confirmed that the capping stack was locked into place, followed by the successful closure of the BOP, bringing the emergency to a close.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri acknowledged the accomplishment in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“ONGC has successfully capped the blowout of Well RDS#147A at 1115 hrs today… in the shortest possible time, following all best practices.”
He praised the effort as a reflection of ONGC’s planning and execution skills:
“The Crisis Management Team, along with international experts, brought down the curtains on this blowout through meticulous planning and safe execution, with zero injuries or fire.”
In an official release, ONGC described the capping as the “successful culmination of the operation,” crediting engineering precision, coordinated teamwork, and continuous communication with stakeholders.
Daily updates were issued throughout the operation, and this statement serves as ONGC’s final communication regarding RDS#147A.
ONGC extended gratitude to the District and State Administration, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the local community for their vital support. The corporation reaffirmed its commitment to “safety, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence.”
