Speculation over future RCE role at Oil India
Speculation is rife that Oil India might scrap the Resident Chief Executive (RCE) post at the Duliajan field HQ.
Senior Oil India executives complain about a lack of transparency about a mysterious 100-day plan reportedly prepared by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to help Oil India restructure. An unconfirmed rumour circulating is that the present RCE, Anfor Ali Haque, will not be replaced after he retires in August 2024, but this could not be independently confirmed.
"We haven't seen the document," says a senior source. "But I will only say one thing: the RCE is a necessary post for Duliajan to handle command and control."
Another insider adds that management has neither confirmed nor denied that the RCE role will be scrapped. "The real trouble is that directors are discussing the 100-day plan but not communicating anything down the chain of command on implementation," we hear.
However, another development under the restructuring is confirmed: during a meeting in Delhi in April 2024, chairman Ranjit Rath announced that every ED will now be in charge of his expertise across India, not just the local area where he operates. Until now, an ED might handle drilling only in Duliajan or another location.
Moving forward, he would be ED drilling for the entire country. This comes as Oil India expands operations beyond Assam and Rajasthan into Odisha, the Kerala-Konkan basin and the Andamans.
"It all started with the discovery that the ED health, safety, and environment was not overseeing people outside Duliajan," we hear. "This led to accountability concerns."
Oil India is planning a new structure to determine which EDs will enjoy nationwide responsibilities. In a separate development, Oil India met the Tao Ahom and Assam student unions on May 20 (2024), who are protesting because of rumours that Oil India plans to move its finance department to Guwahati and other departments to Noida.
"They called off the strike after we clarified things," a senior Oil India source reassures us.