Cyclone Phethai tilts ONGC oil rig off Andhra Pradesh coast, stabilisation exercise on

The rig, however, was abandoned last week following an alert of severe cyclone from the Meteorological department.

The tilted deck of the ONGC oil rig off Andhra Pradesh. Photo: Twitter/@indiannavy

A hydrocarbon excavation rig of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has tilted due to the impact of Cyclone Phethai in the Bay of Bengal between Kakinada and Yanam. There are no casualties, officials said.

A 12-member ONGC team visited the offshore site on Friday. It will take a couple of days to restore the rig, an ONGC official told The Hindu .

The tilted deck of the ONGC oil rig off Andhra Pradesh. Photo: Twitter/@indiannavy

Navy helps in operation

Officials said the ONGC had mobilised all resources, including experts, to stabilise the rig.

“The Navy has provided immense help to the ONGC in its endeavour,” an official said. A Brazilian company had installed the ‘Olinda Star’ rig in the Bay of Bengal and was in charge of its operations and maintenance.

Over 120 personnel were deployed on the rig. In anticipation of Cyclone Phethai, the rig was evacuated in a two-day operation from December 14.

#IndianNavy airlifts Technical Team on damaged Oil Rig Olinda Star in KG Basin by deploying a UH3H helicopter from INS Dega. The helo airlifted technical team & crew members of Olinda Star, a semi-submersible drilling platform in KG Basin off Kakinada @SpokespersonMoDpic.twitter.com/uaeyV6fJEU

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 21, 2018

The UH3H helo winched down two MARCOs to facilitate winching down of the technical team and 13 ONGC crew members onto the tilted helo deck of the oil rig and recovered the MARCOs. INS Chetlat a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft was also deployed to render assistance as required. pic.twitter.com/wqiKlDitTv

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 21, 2018