Utpal Chowdhury
Lagos
Summary
Accomplished professional with extensive expertise in reservoir and production optimisation, drilling, completion & well intervention, and energy transition strategy. Demonstrates strong capabilities in HSE and risk management, regulatory compliance, and asset integrity management. Proven track record in organisational leadership & talent development, enhancing team performance and driving successful project management initiatives. Skilled in EOR/IOR techniques, artificial lift systems, and CCS implementation. Adept at leveraging AI and digital oilfield automation to optimise operations. Committed to advancing joint venture & stakeholder management while ensuring robust RWFM practices.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
HEAD - PRODUCTION and WELL SERVICES
Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, (Upstream)
07.2024 - 07.2026
- Lead technical strategy for upstream expansion, including asset acquisition and merger evaluations, covering subsurface, facilities, and commercial risks
- Drove subsurface feasibility studies for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects, in close collaboration with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NUPRC) on geological assessment of storage capacity, containment risk, and long-term sub-surface integrity.
- Partner with executive leadership (including CTO office) to scale upstream portfolio.
- Provide technical leadership for integrated subsurface-surface decision making and production optimization.
HEAD - PRODUCTION
Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Co Limited
Lagos
09.2021 - 04.2024
- Ensure the sustainable production of 150,000 BOPD and 450 MMSCFD gas.
- Led reservoir management, surveillance, and intervention strategy across multiple assets
- Exploration and FDP delivery and maturation.
- Managed CAPEX/OPEX planning and cost optimization initiatives
- HSE and other statutory Agency’s compliance fulfillment.
- Led water & gas injection programs to sustain reservoir pressure and enhance recovery.
GENERAL MANAGER
Sun Petrochemicals Pvt Ltd
Mumbai
11.2019 - 09.2021
- Managed end-to-end operations for three producing fields
- Led deployment of advanced technologies for heavy oil production
- Delivered complex upstream projects in unconventional environments
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIST (TA1)
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (SS Team, Sarawak Gas)
06.2016 - 07.2019
- Managed sustainable production of 1.7BCFD across 17 gas fields; (Carbonate and Clastic reservoir).
- Drive team to achieve RM 5 billion revenue generation through timely execution of multiple projects.
- Cost effective well completion design and new technology implementation.
- TA support to 7 nos of FDP delivery and maturation.
- Mentorship, coaching, and professional development training to junior.
SPECIALIST PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIST
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Oil)
07.2012 - 06.2016
- Managed 25+ offshore fields and over 900 strings
- Led and focal person for gas lift and ESP well completion design and new technology implementation.
- EOR (WAG) project execution to maximise recovery.
- Led the subsurface team and delivered 10 deviated CHGP infill offshore oil wells through close interaction with multi-disciplinary teams and complying Shell and Petronas well delivery process.
- Department: EOR Centre (JV: Shell Malaysia and Petronas)
SNR PETROLEUM ENGINEER
Kuwait Oil Company
12.2007 - 07.2012
- Led production sustainment for 190,000 BOPD Asset.
- Performed sick well analysis, well and field performance modelling and opportunity identification
- Intelligent well completion to enhance reservoir sweep efficiency and improve recovery from long horizontal intervals.
- Led team to resolve issues of flow assurance of two giant carbonate field.
- Digitalisation and automation to enhance innovation, reservoir/ well management, safety, operational excellence, profitability through effective decision-making strategies.
Lead Workover and Completion (Assam Asset/ Mumbai High Asset)
Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (Institute of Oil and Gas Production Engineer)
01.1993 - 01.2007
- 14 years of hands-on experience in well intervention, completion, and artificial lift systems
- 7 years worked as drilling in-charge
- Awarded with Executive of the year and the best Fishing operation expert.
- Trained 200 + executives from drilling and workover team including international engineers on “IADC Certified Well Control Trainer – Drilling Supervisor (Surface and Subsea BOP stack) as a IADC accredited trainer.
Education
B. Tech. - Mechanical Engineering
NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IndiaExecutive Development Programme in Driving Growth – The CXO Programme - undefined
XLRI, JAMSHEDPUR
IndiaSkills
- Reservoir and Production Optimisation
- Drilling, Completion & Well Intervention
- FDP
- HSE and Risk Management
- Organizational Leadership & Talent Development
- Energy Transition Strategy
- EOR/IOR
- Regulatory Compliance
- Asset Integrity management
- Artificial lift
- CCS
- RWFM
- AI, digital oilfield /Automation
- Project Management
- Joint Venture & Stakeholder Management
Certification
- Petronas Reserves and Resources Management System
- Reservoir Monitoring and Production Log Evaluation, KPC, Petroskills, Kuwait
- IADC Certified Well Control Training – Drilling Supervisor (Surface and Subsea BOP stack), IDT, Dehradun
- Process Safety Management, Petronas, Malaysia
- Fundamentals of Project Management (JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY)
- Climate Change- Carbon Capture and Storage (UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH)
- Agile Project Management (GOOGLE)
- GOOGLE AI (Professional Certificate)
- Data Analytics and Analytical Thinking (Google)
Affiliations
Accredited Instructor of Supervisory Level WelCAP “Simulator Based Workover Well Control and Well Completion”, International Association of Drilling Contractor (IADC), SPE Member
Published Documents
- “Unlocking Reservoir Potential through Rigorous Surveillance and Field Review Post FDP: Case Study: Lucania Carbonate Gas Field” SPE-186920-MS, Asia Pacific Oil and Gas conference and Exhibition 2017, Bali Indonesia
- “A New Beginning: Collaborative Evaluation Efforts towards Holistic Sand Management in Gas Assets” SPE workshop 2017, Kuala Lumpur
- “Enhancing vertical integration in Petronas: Sarawak Liquid Integrated Network Modelling” presented in Reservoir Management Surveillance Summit, Malaysia
- “Cracking the TP2P Codes; Ushering in Collaboration and Integration to Enhance Technical Potential and Production Efficiency at SK Gas” UCW Week 2017, Petronas, Malaysia
- “Time Lapsed Reservoir Monitoring in a matured carbonate Gas Fields” European Association of Geoscientist and Engineers forum at Bintulu, Malaysia
Professional Trainings
- Production Optimisation through Nodal Analysis and Introduction to Gas Lift
- Petrel RE Training by Schlumberger | Halliburton Landmark software
- Total Quality HSE System ISO 14000 | ReO Software Training
- Artificial Lift System | H2S and BOSIET (Offshore) Training
- Well Completion (IADC), Well Intervention Techniques, Formation Damage and Well Stimulation
- Artificial Lift System, ESP Design Consideration
- Well Testing and Well Performance Monitoring, Integrated Network Modelling
Software Proficiencies
PROSPER | GAP | PIPESIM | PETREL | SAP |Compass | Subpump | Sapphire | Wellplan| StimCADE | FracCADE | WellCat | ScaleChem| Cerberus |
Timeline
HEAD - PRODUCTION and WELL SERVICES
Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, (Upstream)
07.2024 - 07.2026
HEAD - PRODUCTION
Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Co Limited
09.2021 - 04.2024
GENERAL MANAGER
Sun Petrochemicals Pvt Ltd
11.2019 - 09.2021
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIST (TA1)
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (SS Team, Sarawak Gas)
06.2016 - 07.2019
SPECIALIST PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIST
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Oil)
07.2012 - 06.2016
SNR PETROLEUM ENGINEER
Kuwait Oil Company
12.2007 - 07.2012
Lead Workover and Completion (Assam Asset/ Mumbai High Asset)
Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (Institute of Oil and Gas Production Engineer)
01.1993 - 01.2007
Executive Development Programme in Driving Growth – The CXO Programme - undefined
XLRI, JAMSHEDPUR
B. Tech. - Mechanical Engineering
NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY