Mark Sargon, vice-chairman of PFH Oil and Gas Private Limited, who survived the minor blast at Uppudi following a gas leak on Sunday, has thanked the staff members who saved and help him at the site.
“God has saved us. We never thought that there would be a blast in the pipeline,” Mr. Mark, who has vast experience in the field of oil and gas exploration, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
Besides Mr. Mark, PFH project manager C.V. Ramakrishna and three others survived the blast at Uppudi, a village of Katrenikona mandal in East Godavari district.
“It was our luck that there was not fire from the well from which gas leaked. As there was no major equipment, or electric motor, in the vicinity, there was no ignition. Had there been flames, we would have been burnt alive,” Mr. Mark said.
“We took lease of the well a year ago and started operations there three months ago after obtaining permission from the A.P. Pollution Control Board (APPCB) and the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF),” he said.
Mr. Mark said that the PFH had taken two wells on lease in the KG Basin – one at Uppudi and another at Achanta in West Godavari district. Besides, it had one project in Gujarat.
“We have entered into an agreement with Schlumberger for supplying necessary equipment for taking up the operations in A.P.,” he said.
“For three days, we tried to open the valve of the closed well at Uppudi. At around 3 p.m. on Sunday, we opened the cap of the pipeline, and then there was a sudden gush of gas. When we tried to control it, there was a blast. Two personnel of the PFH and three technicians of Schlumberger were at the spot,” Mr. Mark recalled.
“The PFH is ready to pay compensation to the farmers and villagers for the loss caused. The company will follow the directions of the public representatives, officials and the State government,” he said.
