Agenda
UrjaVarta 2025 - Collaborate . Innovate . Synergize
UrjaVarta 2025
Date: 17 July 2025
Location: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India

08:30 AM – 09:30 AM
Registration and Networking
09:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Inhouse performance by Oil Industry Rock Band
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
मंच मंत्री का with Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
11:00 AM – 11:02 AM
Launch of India’s Hydrocarbon Outlook 2024-25
11:02 AM – 11:05 AM
Exchange of MoU for NDR Cloud Services (with DG, NIC)
11:05 AM – 11:08 AM
Exchange of MoU between ONGC and bp for Stratigraphic Wells
11:08 AM – 11:10 AM
Launch of HRAS with the award of the first project to SLB
11:10 AM – 12:15 PM
CXOs Roundtable with Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- Mr. Vikas Gaba, Partner and Head – C&O (Energy and Infrastructure) , KPMG India
12:15 PM – 01:20 PM
ऊर्जा मंथन – Inter Ministerial Round Table with Partner States
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM
Networking Lunch
02:00 PM – 02:20 PM
Media Briefing by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Panel I
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Collaborative Strategies for Advancing Offshore Exploration Activities
This session will focus on strategies to accelerate offshore exploration through advanced seismic technologies, streamlined clearances, and improved contractor capabilities. It will also highlight global practices in areas such as deepwater drilling, infrastructure planning, and subsea tiebacks.
- Mr. Nikhil Moghe, Partner, KPMG India
- Mr. Saloma Yomdo , Director (Exploration), Oil India Limited
- Mr. Mr. Om Prakash Sinha, Director (Exploration), ONGC Limited
- Mr. Mahesh Sikaria, Senior EVP – Petroleum E&P, Head – Mahanadi Basin, Reliance Industries Limited
- Mr. Biswanath Ghosh, Director (Exploration), Vedanta Limited
- Mr. Deepak Aggarwal, Director, Sales & Marketing, SLB
12:30 PM – 01:00 PM
Fireside Chat with Eminent Business Leaders
- Mr. Akshay Sahni, Country Head - India, Chevron
- Mr. Michael Mustian, Lead Country Manager, India Exxon Mobil
- Mr. Rajeev Kumar, Vice President and Director, bp India
- Mr. Neeraj Sethi, Managing Director – Indo India Geozones, Baker Hughes
- Mr. Ashish Modi, President, Honeywell India
- Ms. Gauri Jauhar, Executive Director - Energy Transitions & Clean Tech Consulting, S&P Global
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM
Networking Lunch
Panel II
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM
Intelligent Energy: Transforming E&P with Digital and AI
Digital and AI technologies are reshaping upstream operations—from reservoir characterization and predictive maintenance to real-time production optimization. This session will explore the roadmap for scaling digital capabilities such as AI-driven exploration modeling, automation of field operations, and cloud-based decision systems. It will also address concerns related to cybersecurity, data governance, and building a digital-ready workforce across India’s E&P ecosystem
- Mr. Akhilesh Tuteja, Partner & National Leader, Clients, Markets and Technology, KPMG India
- Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Director (Production), ONGC Limited
- Mr. Scott Miller, Business Development Manager, Asia Pacific, Halliburton
- Mr. Neeraj Sethi, MD India, Baker Hughes
- Ms. Suchismita Sanyal, Director - Data Science, ExxonMobil
- Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, RGIPT
03:00 PM – 03:30 PM
Fireside Chat on Tapti Decommissioning
- Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Director (Production), ONGC Limited
- Mr. Nipun Pradhan, Managing Director, BGEPIL and GM Shell Upstream India
- Mr. Padmanabh Gokhale, Member - Operator Board, PMT Joint Venture, Reliance Industries Limited
- Mr. Vivek Rahi, Partner & National Head - Oil & Gas, KPMG India
Panel III
03:30 PM – 04:30 PM
Modernizing India's E&P Sector: The Impact of the ORDA Act 2025
India’s energy sector is being transformed by the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025. This pivotal reform modernizes the E&P landscape, aligning it with global standards and unlocking untapped hydrocarbon reserves. The session convenes government and industry leaders to explore the Act’s impact on fostering a more investment-friendly and future-ready E&P ecosystem.
- Mr. Saurabh Singh, Head - APAC and India, Energy and Process Industries, Kearney
- Mr. Praveen Mal Khanooja, AS, MoPNG
- Mr. Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman & CEO, ONGC Limited
- Mr. Sanjay Barman Roy, President E&P, Reliance Industries
- Mr. Rajeev Kumar, Vice President and Director in BP India
- Dr. Kapil Garg, Managing Director, Oilmax Energy Pvt Ltd
04:30 PM – 05:00 PM
Fireside Chat with Mr. Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman & CEO, ONGC Limited and Mr. Kartikeya Dube, Head of Country, India, bp
- Mr. Vivek Rahi, Partner & National Head - Oil & Gas, KPMG India
05:00 PM – 05:30 PM
Tea Break
05:00 PM – 05:30 PM
Fireside Chat with Secretary, MoPNG
- Mr. Kaustav Mukherjee, Former President, Power Foundation of India; Former Senior Partner & Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
05:30 PM – 05:33 PM
Launch of “Impact of Extreme Events and Climate Change on Oil & Gas Activities in the Offshore Area” combined study by DGH & NIO
05:33 PM – 05:45 PM
UrjaVarta Awards for Exemplary Performance
05:45 PM – 06:00 PM
Vote of Thanks by DG, DGH
06:00 PM – 07:00 PM
Hi-Tea
Session I
12:00 PM – 01:00 PM
Innovations in Deepwater Exploration and Production
This session will cover cutting-edge tools and techniques including advanced robotics, enhanced imaging technologies, and improved drilling methodologies that are reshaping deepwater operations.
- Mr. Vikram Saxena, Director (Technology & Field Services), ONGC
- Ms. Swapnil Kaushal, S&P Global
- Mr. Priyank Srivastava, bp
- Prof. David Hume, Professor, University of Houston
- Mr. Gurjot Singh, Oceaneering International
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM
Networking Lunch
Session II
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM
Maximizing Recovery from India’s Mature and Declining Oilfields
This session covers enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques and innovative management practices, while focusing on extending the life and productivity of mature fields. Experts will share case studies and new technologies that can be proven effective in maximizing recovery and reducing operational costs.
- Mr. Rahul Patel, CEO, Transcontinental Energy Services, Houston, USA
- Mr. Somenath Ghosh, GSPC
- Mr. Sarvesh Vikram Bisen, Hardy Oil
- Mr. Ravi Shanker Chaudhary, ONGC Limited
- Mr. Darshan Halari, RGIPT
Session III
03:00 PM – 04:00 PM
Unlocking the Potential of Unconventional Hydrocarbons in India
This session will focus on the strategic and technical dimensions of exploring and developing unconventional hydrocarbon resources in India, including shale gas, tight oil, CBM, and gas hydrates. This session will discuss regulatory frameworks, technological needs, and environmental considerations, providing a view on the opportunities and challenges in this emerging sector.
- Prof. David Hume, Professor, University of Houston
- Dr. Narsaiah Rapolu, GSPC
- Dr. G L Manjunath, TechX Earth Space
- Mr. Ranjeet Singh, Cairn Oil and Gas
- Dr. Ravi Misra, DGH
Session IV
04:00 PM – 05:00 PM
Drilling and Well Designing: Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency
This session will aim to explore the latest advancements in drilling and well designing, focusing on cost-reduction strategies and efficiency enhancements. Industry experts will present new technologies and methods that can streamline operations, reduce environmental impact, and improve safety.
- Mr. Thiago Onhas, SFP INM PSD Manager, Surface and Shallow Water, SLB
- Ms. Aditi Sharma, Cairn Oil and Gas
- Dr. Satish Kumar Sinha, RGIPT
- Mr. Alexander Forrest, Liquid Casing Inc
- Mr. Sudeep Vyas, ONGC Limited
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