Nagaland connected to National Gas Grid as ONGC, IGGL commission key gas infrastructure

Guwahati, Aug 18 (IANS) State‑owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) on Tuesday reached major milestones in strengthening the Northeast’s natural gas infrastructure by commissioning gas evacuation facilities at Khoraghat GGS‑1 in Assam.

The development was accompanied by the successful injection of natural gas into the Dergaon‑Dimapur Pipeline, connecting Nagaland to the North East Gas Grid (NEGG) and the National Gas Grid for the first time.

A spokesman said the gas evacuation facility at Khoraghat GGS‑1 in Golaghat district of Assam will enable surplus associated natural gas from the Upper Assam Shelf to be processed and evacuated through the NEGG developed by IGGL.

The commissioning of the Dergaon‑Dimapur Pipeline marks a significant step in integrating the Northeast more closely with India’s emerging gas‑based economy and strengthening the region’s natural gas infrastructure.

With the pipeline’s commissioning, Nagaland has been connected to the National Gas Grid for the first time, opening opportunities for greater availability of clean, reliable natural gas for industrial, commercial, and other consumers in the state, the spokesman said.

A key significance of the development is the first-time integration of a regional gas source from the Northeast with the National Gas Grid. The pipeline will facilitate the evacuation and monetisation of natural gas produced from ONGC’s Jorhat Asset in Assam, thereby improving the utilisation of indigenous gas resources from the region.

The new connectivity will facilitate the utilisation of nearly 1.10 lakh Standard Cubic Metres (SCM) of natural gas per day from ONGC’s Jorhat Asset. The project is expected to reduce LNG imports by an equivalent quantity and generate an estimated economic value of around Rs 300 crore annually.

The development is expected to significantly boost the region’s gas economy by converting locally available natural gas resources into clean energy and economic value. It will also help reduce dependence on imported LNG and strengthen India’s energy security.

ONGC is also developing hook‑up facilities at Jantapathar and Kasomarigaon to connect additional producing fields of its Jorhat Asset with the North East Gas Grid. These projects will further increase gas availability, reduce flaring, and strengthen the region’s gas‑based economy.

Improved natural gas availability will create opportunities for households, industries, transport, and power sectors, while supporting economic and infrastructure development in Assam and the wider Northeast.

The milestone has been achieved with the continued support and guidance of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. This achievement takes on added significance in the context of the government’s vision of “One Nation, One Gas Grid” and Viksit Bharat 2047.

By connecting the Northeast to the National Gas Grid and enabling the use of indigenous gas resources, IGGL is playing a key role in advancing the country’s transition to a cleaner, more integrated energy ecosystem. Together, the infrastructure developments strengthen gas connectivity across the region and advance the vision of developing the Northeast as a key growth engine of India and a more integrated gas‑based economy.

The successful gas injection into the Dergaon‑Dimapur Pipeline marks another major milestone in IGGL’s ongoing efforts to establish a gas‑connected Northeast and strengthen the region’s integration with India’s national energy infrastructure.

–IANS

sc/dan