ONGC’s Amit Balwantray Desai Superannuates After 35+ Years
New Delhi, November 2026 — Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has bid farewell to Shri Amit Balwantray Desai, Executive Director & Chief Corporate Drilling Services, on his superannuation, marking the culmination of a distinguished career spanning more than three and a half decades.
A Mechanical Engineer with an MBA in Finance, Shri Desai joined ONGC in 1990. Over the years, he worked across key locations including Ankleshwar, Sivasagar, Mumbai, Jorhat and Dehradun, contributing significantly to the organisation’s drilling capabilities and operational excellence.
Key Highlights of His Career
- Played a major role in advancing directional, horizontal and Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) technologies, particularly during his long stint in Mumbai Offshore spanning over 17 years.
- Instrumental in executing ONGC’s first offshore Underbalanced Drilling (UBD) projects in the Neelam-Heera and Mumbai High fields.
- As Head of Drilling Services in Jorhat, he led a sharp rise in production from approximately 330 MT/day to 650 MT/day and expanded drilling activity significantly.
- Championed the digitisation of ONGC’s drilling ecosystem, including the introduction of digital well-planning tools, Real-Time Data Monitoring and Analytics (RTDMA) platforms, and the organisation-wide implementation of the Well Information System (WIS).
- Advocated the “One Company, One Logic” approach for standardised reporting and integrated decision-making across Drilling and Well Services.
- Delivered measurable efficiency gains, including reduction in diesel consumption and inventory optimisation.
In his final role as Chief Corporate Drilling Services, he combined deep field experience with technological foresight to strengthen ONGC’s overall drilling capabilities.
ONGC described his journey as one defined by technical excellence, innovation, digital transformation and unwavering commitment to India’s energy security.