Yomdo new Oil India Dir. Exp.
Saloma Yomdo will have plenty to deal with when he takes charge as Oil India's new exploration director.
After interviews on May 20 (2024), the PESB recommended Yomdo to replace Manas Kumar Sharma, who retires on June 30 (2024). Widely expected to win, Yomdo accepted a congratulatory call from this report but said he would talk about his priorities and tasks only after he is formally appointed.
Yomdo is an exploration and development ED at Oil India, just one rank below the board level. Following a PESB recommendation, it usually takes about two months for formalities to be completed, after which the Prime Minister-headed cabinet appointments committee endorses the candidate.
Yomdo was first on a PESB shortlist list of 12 candidates, all of whom appeared for an interview. Confusingly, two shortlists were circulating before the interviews: one with four names but none from Oil India or ONGC, and another (accurate) list with 12 names, including six from Oil India but none from ONGC.
When he takes charge, Yomdo must do what he can to maintain the company's corporate growth strategy for 2030-40. Oil India chairman Ranjit Rath told this report in February 2024 that the company has lined up 60,000-sq km of exploration acreage with plans to drill more than 100 wells offshore and onshore.
"We also want to have more Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) programmes," he added. Oil India's current crude oil production is 3.2m t/y.
Rath wants oil production increased to at least 4m t/y and gas production to at least 5bn cubic metres/year from 2025-26.