JATAR COMMITTEE SUBMITS FINAL REPORT ON SECURITY AND SAFETY OF
UPSTREAM OIL INSTALLATIONS
SAFETY MEASURES TO BRING
IN SAVINGS FOR ONGC AND OIL INDIA
The Committee of Experts
with Major General (Retd.) S.C.N. Jatar as Chairman presented
its final report/recommendations to Shri Ram Naik, Minister of
Petroleum & Natural Gas, on improvements and streamlining
security, safety and related issues concerning upstream both onshore
and offshore installations of Oil & Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC) and Oil India Limited (OIL). The recommendations cover
all assets of these companies throughout the country. There are
162 recommendations of various kinds of which 33 relate to the
operations of OIL and the remaining relate to ONGC. While appreciating
the intensive efforts put in by the Experts Committee Shri Ram
Naik enquired about the financial implications if these recommendations
are implemented. Responding to the Minister, Maj. General Jatar
averred that ONGC and OIL would in fact ultimately save money
if these recommendations are implemented as it would result in
stoppage of pilferage and theft of crude oil.
Shri Naik directed
that the recommendations of the Experts Committee be examined
on priority basis and the necessary measures in this direction
be taken. He also directed that the views of ONGC, OIL, Directorate
General of Hydrocarbon (DGH) and Oil Industry Safety Directorate
(OISD) be obtained within two months i.e. latest by 31.7.2002
on the recommendations contained in the Reports. The final sets
of two Reports and a summary of all the recommendations, were
prepared by the Committee following directions by the Government
to go into the security, safety and related issues of upstream
oil assets on all India basis. This contains a summary of recommendations
common to all onshore assets, specific recommendations to ONGC
Territorial Army (ONGC-TA), Ankleshwar Asset, Upper Assam Asset,
Tripura Asset, Krishna-Godavari (KG) Asset, Ahmedabad Asset, Mehsana
Asset and Institute of Petroleum Safety & Management (IPSEM)
of ONGC at Goa. There are general recommendations for all assets/basins/institutes
and the recommendations for offshore operations.
The
Committee in its final report, submitted yesterday, examined issues
connected with the custody transfer of crude oil in Assam for
both ONGC and OIL and in Andhra Pradesh and suggested systemic
changes to ensure a more precise system of crude oil accounting.
The Committee has made an assessment of the security threat to
oil installations and pipelines in Assam and Gujarat. It has checked
the safety aspects pertaining to the two oil PSUs and made significant
recommendations in consonance with the international standards.
As related issues, the Committee has suggested some important
changes to the security and fire departments and assessed the
efficiency of ONGC (TA) Engineer Regiment.
It may be recalled
that the Experts Committee was appointed following a fire at a
Gandhar (Gujarat) Oil well of ONGC on 30.10.2001 while some unscrupulous
elements were engaged in pilfering the crude oil.
The Committee
had submitted its first Report to the Petroleum Minister on 30.1.2002,
concerning various issues directly arising out of the well fire.
The Committee had thereafter submitted its Second and Third Reports
to Shri Naik on 28.3.2002. In its Second Report the Committee
had made a detailed study of IPSEM and made recommendations regarding
upgradation of the training standards. In its Third Report, the
Committee had examined issues concerning operations in the Western
Offshore as also the Oil Terminal at Uran and the Gas Terminal
at Hazira and made substantive suggestions for bringing up the
offshore safety and security to the international standards.
