O P Sinha takes charge as Director (Exploration)
O P Sinha assumed charge as the Director (Exploration) of the Energy Maharatna, ONGC, on 15 July 2025. An alumnus of the Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad, with a Bachelor of Technology in Petroleum Engineering, Mr Sinha has joined the Board with over 37 years of extensive experience in the Exploration & Production (E&P) sector.
Mr Sinha has served ONGC in various key capacities across the domains of exploration, field development, and reservoir management. His expertise spans many aspects of the reservoir engineering spectrum, from seismic interpretation to simulation and execution of field development plans.
Notably, Mr Sinha has played a pivotal role in reservoir management of both onshore and offshore fields, contributing to the design and implementation of Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) schemes, screening of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes, and leading critical reservoir simulation studies.
As the Chief of the Institute of Reservoir Studies (IRS), ONGC’s in-house center for IOR/EOR design in Ahmedabad, he spearheaded initiatives to expand EOR applications for production enhancement across ONGC-operated fields. In tune with the global energy transition, Mr Sinha had also been instrumental in conceptualizing projects on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS/CCS), aimed at reducing carbon emissions and aligning ONGC’s operations with Net Zero targets.
As Director (Exploration), Mr Sinha has outlined a focused strategy to strengthen ONGC’s exploration and production portfolio. His key action areas include:
- Expanding and acquiring exploration acreages to maintain a robust Reserve Replacement Ratio (RRR).
- Accelerating exploration to tap into 'Yet-to-Find' hydrocarbons through a dual approach, play-based exploration for large-scale discoveries, and re-evaluation of existing data to identify missed opportunities, particularly in Category-I basins.
- Enhancing reservoir management of brownfields that contribute significantly to ONGC’s production.
- Promoting scheme-based field development and scaling up EOR implementation.
- Aligning exploration strategies with the evolving energy mix and sustainability goals.
With a deep understanding of subsurface complexities and a visionary approach to energy transition, Mr Sinha is poised to lead ONGC’s exploration thrust into a new era of innovation and growth.
