US experts continue efforts to assess, contain Korangi fire

The Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Division has engaged a team of experts from Cudd Well Control, a US-based firm globally renowned for its expertise in well control and emergency response, to consult on the Korangi Creek fire that continues to burn.

A joint site visit was recently conducted by technical teams from Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and United Energy Pakistan Limited, comprising professionals from the drilling, completions and QHSE (quality, health, safety & environment) disciplines.

Key observations from the visit revealed that the fire intensity remains consistent with the early stages of the incident, suggesting a substantial connected gas volume. The crater at the site has expanded due to water overflow and sand loosening. Additionally, hot water continues to flow from the site with visible vapour emissions.

A follow-up visit is planned with Halliburton to assess the feasibility of pumping cement into the crater as a containment measure. Simultaneously, procurement of lower explosive limit and hydrogen sulphide meters is under way to monitor gas concentrations and water discharge temperatures.

A detailed meeting was held with Cudd Well Control to explore multiple technical interventions. If cementing fails, a well may be drilled to identify the gas source, collect samples for laboratory analysis, and estimate the volume of connected gas.

This well may also serve as an intervention point to neutralise the gas source. The exact location of the new well will be finalised after the expert team’s site assessment. Earlier, on the request of the Sindh government, the Petroleum Division had formed a committee to ascertain the facts behind the Korangi Creek fire that has been burning since March 29.

According to the Petroleum Division’s statement, a technical committee has been constituted to oversee the assessment and containment efforts. The committee comprises representatives from the PPL, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Refinery Limited.

The committee was tasked with conducting a detailed technical investigation to assess the cause and extent of the fire, recommend immediate and long-term mitigation measures to extinguish the fire, prevent future occurrences, and execute the necessary interventions in coordination with the local authorities to ensure timely containment and effective risk management.