Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, which has seen two major mishaps in the last two years at its Bombay High oilfields, on Thursday came out with a contingency plan for effective disaster management.
The company would initiate three-pronged measures, including establishing helipads on buildings, chopper landing facilities at its other locations in Mumbai and enhancing communication network, ONGC chairman Subir Raha said at the commissioning of Dhruv helicopter, configured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the oil exploration company.
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Due to the flooding of the Juhu helibase during the July 26 deluge, except for the four choppers offshore, all helicopters were submerged in water, he said, adding, the company would set up helipads on two-storey buildings at the heli-base so that they could be used immediately at the time of emergency.
The buildings would also have ramps to tow the choppers to the raised helipads and the emergency services including communications and generators on the first floor.
Stating that rescue operations during the oil platform fire were severely constrained due to lack of night landing facilities, Raha said the company has proposed to develop helipads at its Nhava Sheva and Uran facilities.
The company would enhance its communication network by using more INMARSET phones, expanding sea band communication and establishing KU band network.
It would establish central communication control in its Bandra-Kurla office and at Worli.
ONGC has acquired three Dhruv helicopters from HAL at a cost of Rs 33 crore (Rs 330 million) each for rescue operations.
Raha said the police and civic authorities should also be involved in the contingency plan.
The company was expecting to complete most of the action plan by monsoon next year, provided it does not get mired in the bureaucratic hassles for approvals.
Raha said ONGC would restore 70 per cent of the production, lost in the oil platform fire within 30 days and was looking at setting up a floating platform for oil production.
He said the company has found a new reserve at D-33 at Bombay High fields.
"We are highly optimistic of the major reserve. Having made the initial strike, we are appraising the find," he said, adding reserve estimates would be out after external audit.