IMPACTS
ON PROJECTS:
1.
Atomic Power Station shuts down as quake hits TN, The New Indian Express
dated 26/12/04
2. N-power project safe: Director, The New Indian Express dated 27/12/04
3. Tidal tragedy: Close shave for ONGC officials, The New Indian Express
dated 27/12/04
4. Sethu project site safe: expert, Deccan Herald dated 2/1/05 5. Tsunami won’t play spoilsport, says minister, The New Indian Express dated 3/1/05. There will be no let-up in the implementation schedule 6. Tsunami won't affect India's gas prospecting in Andamans, The New Indian Express dated 5/1/05 There is no rethinking in import-dependent India's plans for exploration of oil and gas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the hardest tsunami-hit area in the country 1. Atomic Power Station shuts down as quake hits TN, The New Indian Express dated 26/12/04 UNI An official release from MAPS said there was no adverse effect on MAPS reactors following the tremors. It said ''a mild tremor was felt at Kalpakkam at around 0630 hrs and at around 0900 hrs, a high tide was seen and MAPS unit-2, which was operating, was shut down safely and cooled down.'' Sea water entered some low-lying areas in the colony, housing the staff and residential quarters of the department of atomic energy staff. Relief measures were being undertaken in co-ordination with the district authorities, the release said.
2. N-power project safe: Director, The New Indian Express dated 27/12/04.
The Kudankulam nuclear power facility is being set up on the coast at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore. Work is in progress in building two nuclear reactors capable of generating 1,000 MW each there. On receipt of information that the sea had turned rough, a team of officials led by Agarwal visited the project area and inspected the ongoing work. Later speaking to journalists, Agarwal said the turbulence in the sea had not affected the Kudankulam plant in any manner. They had inspected all the areas within the plant and were satisfied that no damage had been caused to any section. Sea water had not penetrated into the project complex and work was continuing as usual, they said. 3. Tidal tragedy: Close shave for ONGC officials, The New Indian Express dated 27/12/04 ODALAREVU: For all these four men, it was a lifetime escape from the jaws of death in the form of tidal wave, which they never witnessed. They were shell-shocked and unable to think what they have to do. They just ran away with the might of their legs and survived. This was the experience of three ONGC officials at Odalarevu. About 9.30 a.m., Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Odalarevu gas collection centre superintendent SK Shaw received a message from VHF set in the boat Kohinoor, which sails on river waters, that there was some disturbance in the sea. Immediately, they rushed to the spot. The jetty attached to the boat was completely damaged but the boat was intact. They gave the crew in the boat some precautionary suggestions and went to the sea coast to see the installations. “It was about 10.30 a.m. As we already heard some disturbing news, we parked our Maruti ambulance near the road and started walking towards sea where our installation was present. Suddenly, there was a huge sound and we were amazed to see a tidal wave coming to the shore. Unable to do anything, we ran away competing with each other. We saw our van washed away for about 50 feet and floating on the waters.” says Shaw. The tidal wave was last just a minute, but the experience was terrifying. Later, they pulled the van with the help of a tractor. “We never had such an experience before,” says Srinivasa Raju, who was part of the team. They said there was no damage to rigs and everything was safe. ONGC senior officials from Rajahmundry rushed to the spot to assess the situation.
4. Sethu project site safe: expert, Deccan Herald dated 2/1/05
5. Tsunami won’t play spoilsport, says minister, The New Indian
Express dated 3/1/05. There will be no let-up in the implementation schedule, he added. Speaking to reporters in Kanyakumari district, Baalu said though it is important that priority be given for rehabilitating the victims of the tidal wave, the implementation of the Sethusamudram project cannot be ignored as it is of vital importance to the development of the nation. ANDAMAN ISLANDS: Baalu said that the property loss caused by tsunami in the Andaman islands had been estimated at Rs 1,000 crore. Stating that he had visited the Andaman islands a few days ago and found the entire island devastated, he said the loss in Andaman port alone amounted to Rs 200 crore. Relief material, including food and medicine, are being ferried to the victims there by planes and ships. About 1,500 Army personnel are engaged in relief operations in 30 islands. A total of 6,000 tarpoy tents have been sent to Andamans to accommodate those who have been rendered homeless, he further said. CHENNAI PORT: The tsunami had caused losses to the extent of Rs 12 crore to the Chennai port. The lighthouses in various parts of TN have also been damaged, causing a loss of Rs 4 crore. The Chennai Port Trust has assumed responsibility for salvaging sunken mechanised boats at the fishing harbour near Chennai port. 6.
Tsunami won't affect India's gas prospecting in Andamans, The New Indian
Express dated 5/1/05 "There has been no damage to any of the oil installations at sea. Tsunami will not impact our exploration plans in the Andamans where two blocks have already been awarded to ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corp)," said Petroleum Secretary S.C. Tripathi. "In view of the tsunami, all precautions would be taken into account while construction of facility for exploration and production of gas and oil," Tripathi told IANS. For the first time, in the fourth round of blocks awarded under the new exploration licensing policy (NELP) in 2003, state-owned ONGC was awarded two blocks for exploration in the Andaman islands. The two blocks, in what is a volcanic belt and also earthquake-prone zone, are estimated to hold rich gas pockets. India is scheduled to announce the next round of exploration blocks for bidding under the fifth round of NELP Tuesday. The latest round is expected to include several deepwater blocks. So far India in its quest to raise indigenous production of oil and gas has awarded 90 blocks for exploration in the last few years. "Tsunami will not have any major effect on the exploration of the ONGC blocks in Andaman and Nicobar. Seismic survey has indicated presence of shallow gas in these blocks. ONGC may even find deep gas or oil in these blocks," said Avinash Chandra, chief consultant of state-owned Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) and former director general of the Directorate General of Hydrocarban. In case gas is struck in these blocks at a depth of 700-800 metres in the sea or even at 1,000 metres, sub-sea production facility would have to be put up, said Chandra. "ONGC would be taking into consideration and putting up earthquake proof sub-sea facility and more adequate precautions than normal. This system can also indirectly help in providing forewarning of earthquake and in feeding data into the regional monitoring system," said Chandra. The exploration well to be drilled would also have to be designed taking into consideration the earthquake prone nature of the zone with sensors to shut down in the event of any quake. Exploration in Andaman and Nicobar islands region would have to have same type of facilities as in several other earthquake prone zones as in Venezuela, Bahamas, Iran and Iraq among others, the official said. Facilities in the earthquake prone regions have sensors that automatically seal and stop production when the pressures drop, though there may be some leak for a minute or so. The effectiveness of safety precautions is evident from the fact that not a single gas or oil pipeline coming out of sea onland has been reported to have been damaged in the tsunami devastation. "The
exploration and production facilities are designed keeping in view the
data of the last 100 years and forecast for another 100 years. Now with
the tsunami having occurred in the Indian Ocean, further safety steps
would have to be taken," said Chandra. |