What it means to work at bp: Akshay’s story 

We chat with Akshay about his 11-year bp career journey in sub-sea engineering, his role at the new Technical Solutions India (TSI center) in Pune and what he loves about the company.  

Tell us a little about yourself   

Why did you decide to get involved with the TSI center?  

When I first heard about TSI and that it was going to be set up in Pune, India, something immediately clicked for me. My first thoughts were how can I help?  The local student community in Pune is massive (I was one of the students here in Pune city!) so bp coming in and starting an engineering hub there is going to create huge opportunities for local students. Graduates and experienced engineers will be able to explore engineering roles including mechanical, chemical, civil, petroleum, electrical and instrumentation – all of this will be on offer.     I’m excited about showcasing opportunities and also bringing in new talent to engage with the bp work culture. I really want people to know what it means to work at bp.

 

What does your new role entail?   

My role is to help stand up the subsea engineering team in TSI. I am leading the org design, ways of working, looking at regional requirements for work and how we can leverage the talent in India.     We have a lot of digital teams in Pune, so I’ll be looking at how we could collaborate more. I will remain based in Texas, and work with a counterpart in Pune.

 

What do you love about what you do?   

I work in the operations field, so it really comes down to analysing an operational situation, providing my recommendations, and then seeing the impact they have. As someone with a process-driven mind, this is really what I love doing at bp. It helps me go back and analyse the impact of my work. Did it work out as I expected? It means I’m always learning and improving.

 

What are your proudest achievements at bp?    

 

I was one of the first people in my team to use a new digital platform that bp introduced and used for monitoring for flow assurance issues. I used it for operational monitoring, surveillance and converting all our spreadsheets into online tools.     What makes me so proud about this is how I was able to upskill myself in the digital field. I was given space to learn the new technology and apply it to day-to-day working. I was happy to take the time to learn about these tools, because I sensed it could be beneficial later on.

 

How has a career at bp helped you develop and grow?   

 

There are so many opportunities within bp – I’ve never thought of finding a new challenge elsewhere.  I’ve been in flow assurance for 11 years, but I have also had the chance to work on multiple assets and regions. This is so important when you want to learn and grow.    For instance, with my interest in carbon emission calculations – this normally wouldn’t fall under the flow assurance team. However, I was able to speak with the VP of carbon. From there on I was introduced to other carbon experts at bp, and next thing I knew I was helping with the roll out of carbon emissions calculations in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

What activities outside of your day job do you get involved with at bp?   

I co-lead the global sustainability network’s Houston chapter. It’s fulfilling to contribute to something for the environment. This co-lead role has been exciting, as I get to spread awareness about how activities in bp relate to sustainability. We just started out and have a great deal more to come.

 

What is the culture like at bp?    

I think the culture of bp helps people to thrive, and my career journey is a testament to that. I’ve had the opportunity to take on big decisions and to try new things.    One of our core values at bp is caring for others and I see this every single day in the people I work with. This level of care is what I want to bring to TSI.