- ‘The only way forward is to keep drilling new wells, keep experimenting’
ISLAMABAD: Dr Qamar Javaid Sharif, the newly-appointed board chairman of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), has simple and straightforward plans for the future of the largest energy entity of Pakistan.
Borrowing a phrase from a 2008 Republican Party campaign for US presidential elections, he said that the only way forward is to keep drilling new wells, and keep experimenting.
“I am new, today is only my fourth day as the board chairman and I am going to say no to all your difficult questions,” Dr Sharif stated during his first press meet as the company chairman on Friday.
He noted that Pakistan’s oil production is barely one-tenth of its consumption, adding that there is a lot of potential for growth in this sector “even if it brings more challenges and possible risks of failures with it”.
He said the company’s current success ratio is 1:3, meaning that for every three wells dug, one rig pays off. “Internationally, the ratio is 1:10. So even if we end up in the neighbourhood of 1:5, we are still good to go,” he added.
Walking his audience through his journey, he accentuated on the importance of hands-on experience with drilling, exploration and production, saying that the management of drilling sites is imperative for anyone in his position.
It is important to note that it is the first time in the history of OGDCL that a technically qualified, non-bureaucratic chairman of the board has been appointed. Dr Sharif merited the incumbent government for bringing up such a board of directors for OGDCL that includes qualified professionals and excelled individuals.
The new board chairman shared three objectives that he has planned for OGDCL’s future, which he said he has already communicated to the board of directors and other officials of the company.
“Growth, strategy, and talent. We need to drill more wells and make sure that our reserve replacement ratio is high. We need to have better technology and be more entrepreneurial in our approach to explore and dig wells. We also need to ensure that we have suitable people to run respective operations,” he remarked.
He said that employees of the company have been behaving as if their “government job means destined promotion and benefits” irrespective of performance and that needs to be changed.
He emphasized on the need of having more handymen willing to get their hands dirty operating rig equipment and changing machinery parts instead of desk officers.
The chairman called for the company to enter the territory of shale oil and was visibly exasperated when someone mentioned the environmental damage potential of oil shale.
“Developed countries used all these energy sources themselves and when it came to countries like us, they are telling us to be careful about the environment. Our economy remains our key focus,” he asserted.
In addition to the three-pronged objectives plan and the direct aim of drilling more and more wells, the board chairman also plans to establish a technical library within OGDCL whereby the employees, and possibly outsiders too, will have the opportunity to read and study the energy industry and its processes on their own.
Let us pray for the fulfillment of the long awaited ambitious plans and the aspirations of the new Chairman of OGDCL. Unfortunately, two key organisations of Pakistan namely OGDCL and PSML Karachi, life blood of any economy, setup both through the technical and financial support of Russia, in sixties and seventies, regretfully, remained dormant despite of having say 100 times more potential to develop and excel for the revolutionary change of the fate of the economy of Pakistan.
The Chairman must replace the ‘ghost’ employees and low performers with industry best personnel who are available and would love to carry his philosophy ‘profit from today and drill more new wells’. Let this ‘replacement’ also be fair… good luck OGDCL
Agree, Perseverance brings success as 1:3 ratio is remarkable when compared world standards.
To know the innovated plans of recently appointed OGDCL Board Chairman I wish him best of Luck with the hope to set the company as an example for other govt dept to follow once we can see ogdcl progress and bring positive results.
Further also would appreciate to encourage procurement of local products which meet technically and performs well
Bless him.
Make well plane and bring new technology.and all employees give to good banifit .and care. And every body hardwork doing.and looking one eye.thanks.
Chairman should notice, that OGDCL is the unique company in the world where extra qualification has negative impact on a professional’s carrier. No incentive for MS or PHD holders, instead they are regreted at every step and cornerd to their department.
Due attention on R&D be given including emphasis on alternate energy resources.
Let’s hope so he does what he says. I have strong reservations on some of the newly appointed directors in companies under Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division). There appointment is beyond my comprehension.
Well said, Dr. Sharif! Khodaa ne aaj tak os qaom ki halat naheen badlee na ho jis ko kheyaal apni halat khud badalnay ka. Allah aap ki madad keray, Aameen! Wish you all the best with your Plans.
Dr Shareef, hopefully you will be the new trend setter in OGDCL. May Allah give you success.
Innovation and usage of latest technology will definately help us a great way to achieve the targets. Capacity enhancement and promotion purely on the basis of merit is other thing which can guarantee best results out of OGDCL Human Resources. Best of Luck Dr. Qamar.
Great to see that accomplished professionals with deep technical grounding are making their way to the Boards of OGDCL, GHPL, Mari Petroleum, PPL, etc. These organizations are our national pride and charged with an uphill task of growing the reserves & production, while merely sustaining is a great challenge itself. Last year, domestic crude oil production (89kbo/d) was 33% of the total crude we use (93 MMbo). Imported gas (200 Bcf LNG in FY2018) was ~15% of indigenous gas production. We paid $4.3 billion for the crude oil imports and over $2 billion for gas (LNG) in FY2018. Resorting to buying off-the-shelf is simple but expensive solution. This has made our economy vulnerable to the energy security threats.
Geosciences and petroleum engineering professionals must understand that a paradigm shift in the concepts and approach is needed!
Now is the chance for teams to rise to the next challenges under the right steer from the Board as led by Dr. Qamar Javaid Sharif and from the MD Zahid Mir and his management team.
Dr. Nadeem
Sr. Advisor Exploration & New Business
And Chairman PAPG