India's Mumbai High platform lost in collision, fire

July 28, 2005
India's state Oil & Gas Natural Gas Corp. reported a support vessel lost control and collided with the Mumbai High North processing platform July 27, resulting in a fire that destroyed both the support vessel and the platform and killed at least 10 workers.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 28 -- India's state Oil & Gas Natural Gas Corp. reported a support vessel lost control and collided with the Mumbai High North processing platform July 27, resulting in a fire that destroyed both the support vessel and the platform and killed at least 10 workers.

India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar confirmed the deaths. The destruction of the platform results in the loss of 110,000 b/d crude production, he said, estimating that 70% of the output will be restored in 4 weeks.

The platform was totally lost in less than 2 hr along with a helicopter positioned on it, authorities said. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard provided ships and aircraft to assist in the rescue efforts in the Arabian Sea.

The accident happened when ONGC's multipurpose support vessel (MSV), Samudra Suraksha, under the Shipping Corp. of India operation, lost control during a medical evacuation, drifted, and hit the platform (see map, OJG, Mar. 14, 2005, p. 50).

Of the fatalities, six were from ONGC and one each was from the MSV and a chartered drilling rig, Noble Charlie Yester, that was in the area and that also had to be evacuated. Two bodies have yet to be identified, authorities said. As of July 28, 352 people had been rescued from the Mumbai High platform.

ONGC Chairman Subir Raha told reporters at a July 28 news conference at Victoria Docks that the company set up a panel of former ONGC executives, directors, and oil industry experts to investigate the cause of the accident.

Mumbai High area
The 180,000 b/d capacity processing platform was 100 miles off Mumbai. Built in 1982, the platform processed part of the crude oil and associated gas produced from the Mumbai High area (OGJ, Jan. 11, 1982, p. 39).

The area includes Mumbai High, Panna, Mukta, and Bassein fields.