SPG 2025 Inaugurated: Leaders Call for Bold Exploration to Fuel India’s Energy Future

The 15th Biennial International Conference and Exposition of the Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG-India) 2025, themed “Rock to Cloud: Geo-Exploration Empowering Energy Evolution,” was inaugurated today at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC). The event was inaugurated by Pankaj Jain, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), in the presence of key dignitaries including Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman & CEO, ONGC and Chief Patron, SPG-India, Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD, Oil India Ltd., O.P. Sinha, Director (Exploration), ONGC and Patron, SPG-India, and Ranbir Singh, President, SPG-India.

Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Pankaj Jain stressed the need for bold, time-bound exploration strategies to ensure India’s energy self-reliance. He highlighted that the nation can no longer rely on incremental progress and must accelerate large-scale discoveries to meet future energy demands, aligning with the National Deepwater Mission.

Mr. Arun Kumar Singh emphasized ONGC’s commitment to deepwater exploration, noting that advances in seismic imaging, AI-driven interpretation, and data analytics will drive the next generation of discovery success. Dr. Ranjit Rath highlighted India as a promising destination for exploration, backed by reforms such as the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), and Offshore Bidding Rounds, urging geoscientists to remain “restless in pursuit of exploration,” especially in ultra-deepwater regions.

In his welcome address, Mr. O.P. Sinha underscored the conference theme, “Rock to Cloud,” symbolizing India’s shift toward data-driven, technology-intensive exploration. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government to accelerate discoveries in India’s vast sedimentary basins.

The inaugural session also featured the presentation of the B.S. Negi Convention Gold Medal and Citation to renowned geoscientist and ex-ONGCian G C Katiyar. The SPG 2025 Conference Souvenir and a special issue of GEOHORIZONS journal were released during the event.

The SPG 2025 Exposition, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions from global geoscience leaders, was inaugurated by Arun Kumar Singh in the presence of Dr. Ranjit Rath.

The three-day conference brings together leading geoscientists, policymakers, researchers, and energy experts to deliberate on the future of oil and gas exploration, technological innovation, and sustainable energy solutions.