How long have you been with HOEC?

I joined HOEC in April 2018.

What makes HOEC a special place to work for you?

HOEC to me represents the ideal confluence of small company entrepreneurial mindset and big growth intent that is afforded by the upstream Oil and Gas sector. With more than 3 decades of experience in the India upstream sector, HOEC has witnessed the ups and downs the industry is so famous for, and has absorbed the lessons from the valuable experience. Today at HOEC, fiscal prudence, that is so crucial for success in this sector, is married very effectively with technical competence and business risk-taking. It is ideally situated to leverage the opportunities, as the upstream sector in India is opening up, and as such is a special place to work for.

Which projects have been the most meaningful to you? Why?

For me the ongoing B-80 project, where I play the crucial role of Asset and Project Manager, continues to be the most meaningful. The project is of tremendous significance not only to HOEC as a company, but also to the Indian upstream Oil and Gas sector. Successful delivery with “First Oil” achieved by the targeted timeline of Q1 FY 2020-21, will make this the first offshore DSF block to come online. This will demonstrate that the so-called marginal discoveries offshore can be developed cost effectively through innovative partnerships and contracting models even in this challenging price environment. This will serve as a role model for all operators that are looking at similar developments, and open up significant resources that are currently locked up. This makes B-80 a closely watched pioneer project with significant potential to add to domestic Oil and Gas production, and create value to all stakeholders.

If you weren’t in this profession what would you be?

I have always been interested in the sciences, particularly Physics. I would like to think that if not this profession, I would have found my way to getting a PhD in Physics, and would have been working in an academic position involved in fundamental research.

Since you began your career, what’s changed the most about the Oil & Gas industry? Similarly, what has changed the least?

I joined the Oil industry at the start of the millennium when the oil price was much lower than where it is now, but the mood was one of optimism. The biggest change I see is that the overall outlook has changed from one of certainty in a constrained supply and growing demand scenario, to one of nearly limitless supply and slowing demand growth scenario. This has greatly toned down the industry’s famous risk appetite with operators losing the appetite for high capex long cycle projects. My first projects were all deepwater floating platform developments, which are very rare to come by now days.
Similarly, the thing that has changed the least is the innovative mindset, which is not very visible unless you are connected with the industry. The constraints and the challenges are different, but the oil patch still continues to respond with remarkable innovation that is perhaps not recognized as much as it should be. A case in point here is the manner in which the shale operators have driven down the cost of their operations to stay competitive even in the low oil price environment.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

The advice that has stayed with me throughout my career and served me well came from one of my earliest bosses. He stopped me once in the middle of a complaining session, and told me “Responsibility always comes before right”. I have since realized the truth in this and how forgetting this makes us slip into a victim mindset that is best avoided.

Post Graduate Programme in Management – ISB

Master of Science (Civil Engineering) – Rice University

Bachelor of Technology (Civil Engineering) – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras