New Delhi: In a major step towards strengthening industrial safety in the petroleum sector, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has unveiled a comprehensive concept note outlining the establishment of Emergency Response Centers (ERCs) across critical oil and gas installations in India. The proposal seeks to address longstanding gaps in emergency preparedness, especially in the face of large-scale disasters like fires and explosions.
The initiative comes in the wake of increasing incidents within the industry — 55 major accidents were reported in 2023–24 alone, resulting in 34 fatalities. This marks a continued rise in both the number and severity of such incidents, up from 28 deaths in 2022–23 and 22 in 2021–22.
A key trigger for this move was the catastrophic Jaipur Terminal fire of 2009. On October 29, 2009, a massive fire broke out at Indian Oil Corporation’s fuel depot in Sanganer, Jaipur, after MS leak from a pipeline led to an explosion. The fire lasted for 11 days, caused Rs 300 crore in damages, and exposed serious lapses in disaster response capabilities. In its aftermath, an independent inquiry committee headed by MB Lal was constituted. The committee had recommended setting up ERCs wherever there is a cluster of terminals of different oil and gas companies to handle large-scale emergencies — a recommendation that has remained unimplemented for over a decade.
“Level-3 emergencies like full-surface fires or tank explosions are beyond the capacity of in-house firefighting systems, which are often rendered ineffective in such situations,” the PNGRB note stated.
ERCs are proposed as centralised command-and-control hubs, equipped with high-volume long-range firefighting equipment, rapid mobilisation capabilities, and specially trained ‘fire-commandos.’ The goal is to contain and extinguish Level-3 emergencies within 30–40 minutes, minimising loss of life, environmental damage, and disruptions to fuel supply chains.
Drawing inspiration from global models — such as the Refinery Terminal Fire Company (RTFC) in the US and the Emergency Response Service Centre (ERSC) in the UK — PNGRB envisions India-specific ERCs tailored to the unique geography and infrastructure of the domestic petroleum sector.
ERCs is initially proposed to be rolled out in 12 high-risk clusters, including Kandla, Manmad, Vizag, Ennore, and Panipat, which host large-capacity terminals operated by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
The rollout prioritises clusters with combined oil storage capacities exceeding 1.5 lakh kilolitres, particularly where multiple Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) operate in close proximity. The PNGRB concept note said that ERCs may also be set up near major crude pipeline terminals.
Despite multiple efforts since 2014, including foreign consultations and tenders, earlier attempts to operationalise ERCs were marred by delays, high consultancy costs, and lack of technical consensus. A recent push came in February 2025, when the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) formed a new expert committee led by former HPCL CMD MK Surana to reassess emergency response strategies.
The urgency has also been echoed by the Directorate General of Fire Services, which urged MoPNG to expedite ERC implementation to enhance resilience and safeguard both public life and critical infrastructure.
PNGRB aims to integrate ERCs into its safety and technical regulations, facilitating their institutionalisation through guidelines, audits, and compliance checks. The board has likened the ERC model to an “insurance policy for the energy sector” — a cost-effective safeguard that can drastically mitigate the impact of emergencies.
“ERCs are not just reactive hubs but strategic safety assets,” the concept note emphasized, adding that their implementation would bring India’s oil and gas safety standards on par with global best practices.
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