Gas leak at ONGC Mori-5 well sparks fire in Andhra Pradesh

A major gas leak took place in Andhra Pradesh's Konaseema district on Monday (January 5) at a well operated by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) production contractor Deep Industries Ltd. The gas pipeline also caught fire.

No casualties reported

However, there were no reports of death or injury, according to preliminary information, an official of the Maharatna company said. Following the gas leakage, senior ONGC officials from Rajahmundry rushed to Mori village, where the blaze broke out at the Mori-5 well, the official added.

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"The fire occurred due to a gas pipeline leakage at the Mori-5 well, which is operated by Deep Industries Ltd as part of production enhancement operations," the official told PTI.

ONGC officials have reached the site to assess the situation and analyse the cause of the incident, he said.

Gas leakage during repair

According to media reports, the oil well is located in Irusumanda village of Konaseema's Razole area. The gas leak took place during repair works as production at the well had been temporarily halted.

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A massive amount of gas mixed with crude oil shot high into the air. According to local officials, the gas soon caught fire, resulting in panic among villagers. Thick clouds of gas and smoke spread in the area, reported NDTV.

As a precautionary measure, announcements were made by officials using loudspeakers asking residents of three nearby villages to refrain from using electricity, switching on appliances, or lighting stoves.

Evacuation orders issued

Officials also urged villagers to immediately evacuate, following which several residents fled from home and also shifted their cattle to safety.

The Konaseema district administration is also attending to the incident and coordinating firefighting and safety measures at the site.

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Deep Industries Ltd is a Production Enhancement Contractor (PEC) of ONGC and had won a Rs 1,402-crore contract in 2024 for production enhancement operations at ONGC’s Rajahmundry Asset in Andhra Pradesh, according to reports.

The company has been operating the Mori-5 well for about a year, the official added.

(With agency inputs)