Big oil spill found off Mumbai coast

Jan 21, 2011 |

New Delhi

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Around a mile long oil spill has been detected from a ruptured pipeline some 80 km off the Mumbai coast, state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) said on Friday.

"A leakage has been detected at ONGC's Mumbai-Uran Trunk (MUT) oil pipeline (which transports crude oil from the Mumbai High offshore fields) at 0845 hours this morning," ONGC said in a statement.

Production at ONGC's Mumbai high, the nation's biggest oilfield, and Bassein oilfield was immediately stopped and the pipeline closed.

Output was resumed after three hours and crude oil is being sent to onshore through a separate line.

Mumbai high and Bassein fields together produce 247,000 barrels of oil per day and the brief stoppage would mean that they would produce about 25,000 barrels less oil every day.

"A leak was detected and crude pumping on the line stopped... ONGC has reacted immediately to control the spill," Oil Secretary S Sundareshan said.

ONGC said the leakage was observed 2-kms from the BPB Platform (Bassein oil and gas field) in western offshore. The oil and gas production from Mumbai High is being diverted to the ICP-Heera Uran Trunk (HUT) pipeline.

The company has sent vessels to the site to ascertain the extent of leakage to contain it and repair the pipeline.

ONGC along with Coast Guard are implementing an oil spill contingency plan to minimise damage to the environment.

"The Regional Contingency Plan (which is the existing emergency response measure) has been activated immediately on detection of the leak," it said.

FODAG (Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group) and Coast Guard have been informed. "National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan is also being activated by Coast Guard to ensure minimum damage to environment," the statement said.

Shares of ONGC fell after the news and were down 2.66 per cent to Rs 1,104 at 1500 hours.

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