From US intern to TSI subsurface unit lead, India: Angeni’s story

We spoke to Angeni about her long career at bp, her new role as a subsurface unit lead, and what excites her about working in Pune‘s new Technical Solutions India (TSI) center.

How do you describe yourself?  

Tell us about your early career  

As a little girl, my father often told us that oil and gas is like a treasure hunt to provide energy that the world needs. So I decided to do my Bachelor’s and Masters of Science degrees in petroleum engineering at the University of Texas in Austin and Texas A&M University. While at A&M, I did an internship at bp and this led to a full-time job.  bp was somewhere I could see myself thriving when it came to looking into discovering lower carbon energy sources and how we could reduce emissions. Much like my dad, I could see myself as a treasure hunter looking to find new forms of lower carbon energy with bp.

 

Tell us about your role  
 

I’ve recently started a new role as the subsurface unit lead at the TSI center in India. In essence, I lead the extension of bp’s sub-surface team in India through global subsurface solutions, standing up seven key workstreams in the country. We will be expanding our team of experts here over the next two years.  I have an incredible team coming with me to set up this unit and I am excited to work with such talented individuals as we attract, recruit and build it from scratch together.

 

What excites you about TSI?   
 

I am excited to be a part of expanding bp’s global subsurface organization to India, working with India’s best, as we solve the greatest global energy challenges, together! I’m also excited about creating a legacy to leave behind for the business in India and realizing our potential in the country. My team moving to India are pioneers not just for bp, but across the whole sector. Finally, from a personal perspective, my parents are from India and it’s quite special for me to live in the country that they grew up in and share that experience with my children.

 

How does your work contribute to bp’s ambition of ‘reimagining energy’?   
 

India is a key market for bp and will continue to play a significant role in how we deliver our strategy. bp TSI is designed to boost our existing capability to safely deliver best-in-class performance and competitive returns across bp's hydrocarbons and new energies businesses.

 

What are some of your bp career highlights?   
 

Having the opportunity to work in Azerbaijan and Oman have been major highlights for me so far in my career. Immersing myself in new cultures with my husband and children and making an impact on the businesses is hugely rewarding. Specifically, building a learning organization in Azerbaijan to return 50,000 bbl of oil offline was incredible. I am also deeply passionate about diversity and mental health in the workplace. I played an active role in re-establishing the bp Women’s International Network (bpWIN) chapter in Azerbaijan. I also served as a co-lead for bpWIN for Europe, Middle East and Africa, overlooking bp’s 17th chapters, delivering tangible projects in the country, including opening a mother’s room in the workplace.  It has been so wonderful to build amazing friendships across the world with bp and I look forward to doing the same in India.

 

What do you think of bp as an employer?   
 

Having extended family in India, bp’s culture feels like India’s culture and they are also playing to win, purpose-driven and care deeply for one another. I’m proud to work for an organization focused on delivering on our ambitions, while recognizing that its people are its strongest asset.

Why should people join bp?  
 

I think it’s fairly simple – do you want to be part of the group that is playing its part in energy transition and working towards delivering a better, more balanced energy system – one that is secure and affordable as well as lower carbon? I’ve seen bp on that journey starting as a summer intern 17 years ago!