MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL
GAS
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) Blow out Prevention (BOP) system is covered under rule 146 and 158 of
Petroleum and Natural Gas (Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules 2008 under
the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act 1948. For onshore operations,
BOP system is covered under regulations 52 to 58 of Oil Mines Regulations
(OMR) 2017 developed under Mines Act 1952. The safe operations of BOP
system shall be in accordance to Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD)
Recommended Practices 174 (OISD-RP-174).
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(b) Oil Industry Safety Directorate is competent authority for implementation of
the Petroleum and Natural Gas (Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules 2008 for
offshore locations. Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) is a regulator for
onshore operations and it carries out inspection for implementation of Oil Mines
Regulations (OMR) 2017. Implementation and compliance to the rules are
monitored through internal audits by concerned organization, External Safety
Audit by OISD and inspection by DGMS. Rule 173 of Petroleum and Natural Gas
(Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules 2008 provides for punishment in
accordance with the relevant provision of the Act in case of contravention of
Rules.
(c) Regulation # 56 of Oil Mines Regulations (OMR) 2017 and Rule 158 of
P&NG Rules 2008 provides for the function and pressure testing of BOP. As per
OISD-RP-174, major inspection of BOP including control system is carried out
after every 5 years. For emergency preparedness, weekly mock BOP drill is
carried out. During the audits OISD verifies the various requirements related to
BOP and its control system.
(d) The owner, agent and manager of every oil mine have to comply with the
standards and guidelines of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 for
discharging liquid effluent and gaseous emission and disposal of solid waste,
drill cutting and drilling fluid applicable for oil drilling and gas extraction industry
for protection against environmental pollution.
Procedures to prevent/contain such accidents are included in Blowout
Contingency Plan, Disaster Management Plans (DMPs) and Standard Operating
Procedures for Drilling and Work-over operations. In addition, there is Oil Spill
Management Plan to contain the oil spillage due to such or any other accident in
offshore. In case of blowout, Exploration & Production major company like
ONGC has fully equipped Crisis Management Team (CMT) which is well trained
to handle such situation. Organizations which do not have their own CMT are to
enter into mutual aid agreement with other E&P company having CMT.
Environment monitoring is carried out by industry to observe adverse impacts
due to blowout, if it occurs. Remedial measures are taken accordingly.
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(e) & (f): Two blow out incidents occurred in last three years, which are given
below:-
(i) Blowout incident occurred on 02.02.2020 during well activation by PFH Oil
and Gas Private Ltd, the contractor who has been awarded contract under
Discovered Small Field Policy, in Andhra Pradesh. Massive gas leakage with
condensate from annulus line was observed due to rupture in 3” flow line.
Blowout was controlled with the help of Crisis Management Team of ONGC by
closing flow line valve under water umbrella on 04.02.2020.
(ii) During workover operation on 27.05.2020 in Baghjan#5 well, of Oil India
Limited blow out occurred. While preparations were going on for capping the
well, it caught fire on 09.06.2020. Finally well was capped on 15.11.2020 by a
team of international experts from M/s Alert Disaster Control Singapore, ONGC
CMT and other expert agencies.
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