An oil rig off the coast of Andhra Pradesh operated by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has tilted dangerously due to the effect of Cyclone Phethai which made landfall in the state last week.
The ONGC has already begun work, tweeting, "Rig Olinda Star, deployed by ONGC on the east coast of India, tilted by massive Cyclone Phethai is being brought to stability.All resources including experts mobilised well in time. ONGC evacuated all 111 crew members from Rig Olinda Star, December 14 and 15 on forcast of Phethai. The Rig, which weathered the strong cyclone, is being brought to complete normalcy."
Rig Olinda Star, deployed by ONGC on the East Coast of India, tilted by massive Cyclone #Pethai is being brought to stability.All resources including experts mobilised well in time. @IndianNavy provided magnificent support to take experts to the Rig. @PetroleumMin @pallab_ongc pic.twitter.com/Eep8sxCh9I
— ONGC (@ONGC_) December 21, 2018
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy also lent a helping hand to the ONGC, airlifting 13 people including a technical team and crew members off the semi-submersible drilling platform. In a series of tweets, the Indian Navy said that it had deployed a UH3H helicopter from Indian Naval Station (INS) Dega, which airlifted the technical team and crew members of Olinda Star, and winched them up from the tilted deck of the oil rig. According to media reports, the 13 members stayed back as they could not be evacuated earlier, owing to the weather ahead of the cyclone.
"INS Chetlat a water jet fast attack craft was also deployed to render assistance as required. Olinda Star, on lease by ONGC, was moored in the Krishna-Godavari Basin. Prior to the onset of Severe Cyclone Phethai, the crew suspended operations and were evacuated to shore for shelter. ‘Olinda Star’ is observed to be tilted and possibly sustained damage by the impact of Severe Cyclone Phethai," the Navy tweeted.
#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 @SpokespersonMoD pic.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
Olinda Star on lease by ONGC was moored in KG Basin. Prior to the onset of Severe Cyclone Phethai, the crew suspended operations and were evacuated to shore for shelter. ‘Olinda Star’ is observed to be tilted and possibly sustained damage by the impact of Severe Cyclone Phethai pic.twitter.com/giQ4SoxZas
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 21, 2018
Last week, ‘Phethai' made the landfall near Katrinekonda in East Godavari district with a wind speed of 80 kmph and re-emerged into the Bay of Bengal before crossing the coast between Kakinada and Yanam, an enclave of Puducherry in the same district.
Over 5,000 people from some coastal and low-lying villages were shifted to relief camps opened by the East Godavari district administration.