New Delhi | October 28, 2026
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has reinforced its focus on operational safety and emergency preparedness by conducting a multi-agency joint mock drill at the Khoraghat Gas Gathering Station (GGS) in Assam.
The exercise was designed to assess the preparedness of ONGC and participating agencies to respond quickly and effectively to a potential emergency at a critical oil and gas installation. Such drills are an important part of the safety framework for energy infrastructure, where rapid coordination and timely decision-making can help minimise risks to personnel, assets and surrounding communities.
Focus on Emergency Response
The mock drill simulated an emergency situation at the gas gathering facility, providing participating teams with an opportunity to test established emergency-response procedures under realistic conditions.
The exercise focused on critical areas including incident communication, emergency mobilisation, evacuation procedures, firefighting and rescue response, coordination among agencies and protection of personnel and nearby communities.
Multi-agency exercises are particularly important for oil and gas installations because a major incident may require coordinated action from the operator, district administration, police, fire services, medical teams and other emergency-response agencies.
Strengthening Inter-Agency Coordination
A key objective of the exercise was to strengthen coordination between ONGC and external agencies involved in emergency management.
The drill provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), communication channels and response mechanisms. It also helped participating teams identify areas where response time, communication and coordination can be further improved.
For a large energy company operating geographically dispersed oil and gas assets, maintaining preparedness for a range of emergency scenarios is a critical operational requirement.
Khoraghat Facility and Assam’s Gas Infrastructure
The Khoraghat facility is part of ONGC’s operations in Assam’s Upper Assam region. In August 2026, ONGC commissioned gas evacuation facilities at Khoraghat GGS-1 in Golaghat district, enabling surplus associated natural gas from the Upper Assam Shelf to be evacuated through the North East Gas Grid developed by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited.
The connectivity is expected to support the utilisation of nearly 1 lakh Standard Cubic Metres of gas per day from ONGC’s Jorhat asset, while strengthening gas availability for households, industry, transport and power in the region.
With such infrastructure playing an increasingly important role in regional energy supply, maintaining high standards of safety and emergency preparedness becomes particularly significant.
Safety as an Operational Priority
Oil and gas operations involve several potential hazards, including fire, gas leakage, equipment failure and other industrial emergencies. Regular mock drills enable organisations to test their preparedness before an actual incident occurs.
ONGC has previously undertaken emergency-response and safety initiatives across its installations. The company has also highlighted the importance of stringent safety protocols and coordinated emergency response during incidents at its Assam operations.
The latest exercise at Khoraghat therefore underlines the importance of maintaining a proactive safety culture rather than relying only on response mechanisms after an incident occurs.
Building a Resilient Energy Infrastructure
As India’s energy infrastructure expands, operational resilience is becoming increasingly important. Gas gathering stations, pipelines, processing facilities and transmission networks form an interconnected energy ecosystem, making preparedness and coordination essential for uninterrupted operations.
Exercises such as the Khoraghat mock drill help emergency-response teams understand their respective responsibilities, improve communication and identify potential gaps in response plans.
The Worldonomics Times – PSU Perspective
For India’s energy PSUs, safety, operational resilience and emergency preparedness are increasingly becoming strategic priorities.
The ONGC exercise at Khoraghat demonstrates how regular multi-agency drills can strengthen coordination between energy companies and public authorities. Beyond testing emergency procedures, such exercises help build confidence among employees, local administrations and communities located around critical energy installations.
As ONGC continues to expand gas production and evacuation infrastructure in the North-East, maintaining robust safety systems will remain essential to ensuring reliable energy supply alongside protection of people, assets and the environment.
