Bombay High barge de-anchors, but all 261 onboard safe: ONGC

As per weather department the Cyclone Tauktae - which intensified into a 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' early this morning - is currently 160 km south-southwest of Mumbai and is "very likely" to reach the Gujarat coast this evening with gusts of up to 200 km per hour. Credit: PTI File Photo

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Monday said a barge with 261 of its personnel deployed for offshore drilling in Bombay High in the Arabian Sea got de-anchored and started drifting because of the cyclonic storm Tauktae.

However, all the 261 people on board barge P305 are accounted for at 1300 hrs and barge has also been "steadied", an official spokesperson told PTI.

"Ahead of the cyclone, the barge was anchored at a safe distance but with the impact of the cyclone, it got de-anchored and drifted. However, it has been steadied again and is brought under control," the spokesperson said.

As the cyclone is still active and yet to make a landfall, the situation is being constantly monitored.

Also read: Cyclone Tauktae: Over 400 stranded in barges in Arabian Sea

The spokesperson also said that the Navy has pressed the warship INS Kochi and other assets into service to meet any eventuality.

Bombay High off the Mumbai cost is the largest oil and gas assets of ONGC.

ONGC carries on offshore drilling from platforms in the Arabian Sea. As per a recent media report, the company produces 50,000 barrels of crude per day from the Heera platform. Typically, staff are taken for offshore drilling operations by air.