Residents beyond a 500-metre radius of a blowout gas well operated by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar district have been advised to return home.

This follows a considerable degree of control on RDS-147A, the affected rig in the Rudrasagar area, achieved by experts of the ONGC and a team from the U.S.-based Cudd Pressure Control firm.

“Approximately 10 trailer loads of rig material have been successfully removed by ONGC’s Crisis Management Team and the expert crew, clearing the majority of the rig equipment from the site and paving the way for the upcoming well capping operation. The necessary heavy equipment required for the capping process is currently being mobilised to the site,” a statement from the exploration major said on Sunday (June 22, 2025).

Simultaneously, the team has conducted a detailed inspection of the elevated section of the rig mast to plan the safe removal of the tubing stacked in the derrick. A specialised extra-long boom crane is being mobilised for this critical operation, with deployment scheduled at the earliest possible time.

The ONGC said continuous air quality monitoring revealed no detectable trace of hydrocarbons beyond 30 metres from the well. The gas pressure in the affected well has also reduced, it added.

“Based on current assessments, residents living beyond a 500-metre radius from the incident site have been advised that it is safe to return to their homes and resume normal activities, including cooking and the use of electricity,” the ONGC said.