Gas leak in Thar: Efforts on to plug well

Almost a fortnight on, officials and experts from OIL and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd are working hard to “kill” the well. The experts are waiting for help from ONGC Ahmedabad in the form of a Coil Tubing Unit, which will be used to plug the well.

“When production declines, a well is killed for some time to carry out repairs. The leak occurred during a workover some 12 days ago,” OIL General Manager Narendra Vashisht told The Indian Express.

A team of 10-15 OIL officials and experts are being assisted by two experts from ONGC at the site. “There is no habitation for around 30 km here. No farming or cattle either. It is just desert all around. So there is no question of anyone being harmed,” Vashisht said, ruling out any reason for panic.

The Border Security Force and the district administration had been informed of the leak.

“In the oil and natural gas industry, this sort of an event is not rare. I would not call it routine, but it happens during workovers sometimes,” he said.

Once the “well kill” is over, the casing equipment will be removed from the well and it will remain closed for about a month, Vashisht said.