Waman Bapuji Metre

Waman Bapuji Metre (वामण बापूजी मेत्रे) (February 14, 1906 – November 21, 1970), admiringly referred to as Dādā ('Elder Brother') Metre in the Indian oil industry circles, was the doyen of Indian petroleum geologists. For his life-time pioneering contribution to petroleum exploration and development in India and for his 'significant contribution to the growth of the oil industry in the country', he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1968, the highest of the civilian awards conferred to date by the President of India on any professional in the fields of mining, petroleum exploration or production.

Early life

Born in a family of farmers of modest means in the village of Kalamb, in Maharashtra state in India, Waman went to high school in the nearest town of Yavatmal, and was reputed to be the first one from his village to attend high school. After matriculating from the school, he went to the city of Nagpur and earned Intermediate Science degree at the college there. He won a scholarship to the Indian School of Mines & Applied Geology in 1926, which was established only that year on the model of Royal School of Mines, and graduated in 1930 with the first batch of students from that institution.

Forty Years of Contribution to Oil Industry of South Asia

Pioneering work in India, Burma and Pakistan

W. B. Metre joined Assam Oil Company Ltd. (AOC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Burmah Oil Company Ltd. (BOC), at Digboi in upper Assam as a geologist in 1930 immediately after graduation. This was the beginning of a 40-year career that took him on geological studies from the rain-forest country of northeastern India to the barren landscape of areas that now constitute Pakistan.During 1930-1937, he did extensive field work in Digboi, Masimpur and Garo Hills in Assam and in Arakan coast of Burma. Aerial photography was gaining prominence as a tool for geological study and analysis and W. B. Metre was among those who pioneered its usage. In addition to field mapping, he was involved in the drilling exploration wells. At the test well in Masimpur (Cachar district), Assam, he earned a reputation for his skill and innovation in handling of the mud plants during difficult cementing operations.

Assigned to areas now constituting Pakistan in 1937-1939, he worked in Sind, North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Balochistan. His studies on the tertiaries of Sind was considered to be of seminal importance.

He worked in London headquarters of Burmah Oil on the geological integration work for northeastern India during the period 1939-1941. He returned to Digboi during 1941-1949 for development management there during the war years and some exploratory work thereafter in NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh) and Khasi Hills.

In 1949, within two years after independence and the partition of India, he was transferred to Karachi for a brief period as Senior Exploration Geologist in Pakistan for Burmah Oil operations there the year before it evolved into Pakistan Petroleum Limited. The fact that such a transfer took place when bitterness between the two countries was at its peak, reflected the high regard in which he was held by his Pakistani counterparts.

Returning to Assam, India, he helped focus exploration efforts on structure concealed by alluvium. In 1953, he became the first Indian to be promoted to the position of Senior Geologist India for Burmah Oil.

The Defining Oil Discovery in India

It was under his leadership in 1953, that Assam Oil Company made the discovery of the first new oilfield in post-independence India, starting with striking oil at No. 1 Nahorkotiya exploration well, at a location based on a pre-war seismic survey. This success profoundly influenced the whole outlook on oil prospecting in India. More important, it reinforced the national conviction that the Indians could manage the oil exploration business. K. D. Malaviya, the then Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Scientific Research jubilantly made the announcement in the Parliament of India, “…the latest oil-wells in Assam were stuck under the guidance of an Indian, Shri W. B. Metre”.

This in turn, accelerated the formation of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission in 1956, under Government of India, with hydrocarbon exploration rights all across India, beyond specific areas for which exploration concession was given to a joint venture with Burmah Oil. The Commission is predecessor to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, India's largest publicly traded company today in terms of market value.

At the Dawn of Oil India & ONGC

In 1959, Oil India Private Ltd. was formed as a partnership between the Government of India and the BOC with the latter holding two-thirds of the shares. W. B. Metre was on the Board of directors of Oil India and continued on the reconstituted Board when the company was transformed into a joint venture of equal partnership in 1961. The same year, he also became Senior Technical Advisor to the Chief Representative in India of the Burmah Oil Group of companies. He retired from Burmah Oil Group in 1965, but continued on the OIL Board and served as consultant to OIL and AOC.

He was also closely associated with the ONGC right from its inception. He served as an honorary Member of the Oil & Natural Gas Commission during its formative years.

Recognition and awards

W.B. Metre was elected Fellow of the Geological Society, London in 1948; and Fellow of National Institute of Sciences in India (now Indian National Science Academy) in 1956. At various times he served President of Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Society of India; President of the Mining, Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India; and President of the Geology section of the Indian Science Congress. In 1962, he led the Indian delegation to the United Nations organization ECAFE (now ESCAP, The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ) session on petroleum in Tehran. At this session and in succeeding sessions in Tehran and Tokyo he was the Chairman of the Drafting and Technical Committee.

In 1968, he was awarded Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards in India and highest such civilian award conferred by President of India on a professional involved in oil and gas exploration.