Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Friday announced that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully capped the gas blowout at its RDS#147A well site in the Rudrasagar field, located in Assam’s Sivasagar district.
The blowout, which began on June 12, was brought under control at 11:15 AM today, with ONGC deploying its Crisis Management Team and international well control experts to execute the high-stakes operation. The successful capping has averted any major damage, with no reports of injuries, casualties, or fire.
In a post on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Minister Puri stated, “ONGC has successfully capped the blowout of well RDS#147A at 1115 hours today. This blowout started on 12th June and has been capped successfully within the shortest possible time, following all the best practices.”
He lauded ONGC’s Crisis Management Team and international experts for their coordinated efforts and technical expertise. “Crisis Management Team of @ONGC_ along with the international well control experts finally brought the curtains down on the gas well blowout through meticulous planning and concerted efforts in a safe manner, without any injury, casualty or fire, testifying the competency of Crisis Management,” he posted.
The Union Minister also expressed his gratitude to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the state administration for their support throughout the crisis.
In response, Chief Minister Sarma acknowledged the Centre’s efforts and praised the resilience of local communities. “Thank you, Hon’ble Minister, for your exceptional leadership and persistence in sealing the gas leak at ONGC and members of our State administration. But above all, my deepest gratitude to the brave men and women of Sivasagar, especially those residing in the affected areas, for displaying extraordinary levels of perseverance and extending unstinted cooperation with all concerned agencies over the last two weeks,” he wrote on ‘X’.
The incident originated earlier this month when gas was seen forcefully escaping from ONGC’s Well RDS-147 in the Rudrasagar field. ONGC promptly took operational control and initiated measures to manage and contain the gas blowout.
ONGC, a Maharatna public sector enterprise, is India’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, accounting for nearly 71% of domestic production. Crude oil produced by ONGC serves as the raw material for key downstream companies such as Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), as well as MRPL and HPCL—both ONGC subsidiaries—which refine the crude into essential fuels like petrol, diesel, LPG, kerosene, and naphtha. The swift and safe resolution of the Sivasagar gas blowout has reaffirmed ONGC’s technical capabilities and its preparedness in handling emergency situations with global safety and operational standards.
About ONGC and Rudrasagar Field
ONGC, a Maharatna PSU, is India’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, contributing nearly 71% of domestic output. Crude produced by ONGC is refined by key players like IOC, BPCL, HPCL, and subsidiaries such as MRPL and HPCL.
The Rudrasagar field in Assam is one of ONGC’s oldest operational oil fields. The swift resolution of the incident has reinforced ONGC’s reputation for emergency response, technical capability, and adherence to global safety standards.