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Rupture in ONGC pipeline

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI AUG. 12. Even as the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is yet to recover from the trauma of yesterday's helicopter crash in its offshore oilfield that claimed 27 lives, it was learnt last evening that its submarine pipeline, which was carrying crude oil to a mainland terminal, had ruptured at a point, 160 km from the coast, and was leaking oil into the sea. The leak was detected in the Control Room of Mumbai High North because the pressure in the line had dropped.

The personnel concerned stopped the flow of oil in the pipeline and diverted the production to an alternate mode.

The ONGC said in a press release that its trouble-shooters reached the site in 15 minutes as the Control Room alerted the Coast Guard and the Navy. Three multi-purpose support vessels (MSVs) initiated pollution control steps and sent down divers to locate the point of rupture. The release said that the oil spill had been contained and 80 per cent of the preparatory work done to repair the rupture.

The PSU hopes to recommission the pipeline in a fortnight if the weather remained favourable.

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