State run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation suspended drilling operations in the western offshore while other oil firms took steps to protect their installations from a tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea.

However, crude oil and natural gas production from fields in the western offshore and operations at refineries and liquefied natural gas import terminals on the west coast remained unaffected by the cyclone.

Mr RS Sharma CMD of ONGC told PTI that "We are on full alert and have suspended all drilling and offshore maintenance and construction work (off the Mumbai coast). We are taking all precautions and I don't think the storm will have any major impact on any of our assets."

(Sourced from PTI)