Waman Bapuji Metre
Encyclopedia
Waman Bapuji Metre (February 14, 1906 – November 21, 1970), admiringly referred to as Dādā ('Elder Brother'in Marathi
) Metre in the Indian oil industry circles, was the doyen of Indian petroleum
geologist
s. 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.
, 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.
(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 Sindh
, North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Baluchistan
. 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.
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.
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.
) 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.
Arun Metre,
Asha Hadole,
Ravi Metre,
Usha Chaujer,
Sheila Vir,
Sudha Tewari,
Kshama Metre-recipient Padma Shri
in 2008,
Pramode Metre,
Vinod Metre and
Anil Metre.
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
) Metre in the Indian oil industry circles, was the doyen of Indian petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s. 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
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
in 1968, the highest of the civilian awards conferred to date by the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
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 KalambKalamb
Kalamb is a village in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra state in India. It is famous today for its temple devoted to the Hindu god Ganesha. The temple is known as Shree Chintamani Temple, based on another name for Ganesh that emphasizes the belief that praying to him can remove worries...
, in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
state in India, Waman went to high school in the nearest town of Yavatmal
Yavatmal
Yavatmal is a city and municipal council of the Yavatmal district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The name derives from the Marathi Yavat and mal .-Demographics:yavatmal ,district in Amravati administrative division....
, 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
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
and earned Intermediate Science degree at the college there. He won a scholarship to the Indian School of Mines
Indian School of Mines
The Indian School of Mines is a fully residential and co-educational university located in the mineral-rich belt of India in the city of Dhanbad, Jharkhand. It was established in 1926 on the lines of the Royal School of Mines, London...
& Applied Geology in 1926, which was established only that year on the model of Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
, and graduated in 1930 with the first batch of students from that institution.
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.Burmah Oil Company Ltd.
The Burmah Oil Company was a leading British oil business which was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:The company was founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886 by David Sime Cargill to develop oil fields in the Indian subcontinent...
(BOC), at Digboi
Digboi
Digboi is a town and a town area committee in Tinsukia district in the north-eastern part of the state of Assam, IndiaCrude oil was discovered here in late 19th century, in a span of ten years when the discovery of Oil took place in first Oil drilling in the world. Digboi oilfield has the oldest...
in upper Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
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
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
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 Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Baluchistan
Baluchistan (Chief Commissioners Province)
The Chief Commissioner's Province of Baluchistan was a province of British India located in the northern parts of the modern Balochistan province.- History :...
. 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
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
) and Khasi Hills
Khasi Hills
The Khasi Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in the Indian state of Meghalaya, and is part of the Patkai range and of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion...
.
In 1949, within two years after independence and the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, he was transferred to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
for a brief period as Senior Exploration Geologist in Pakistan for Burmah Oil operations there the year before it evolved into Pakistan Petroleum Limited
Pakistan Petroleum Limited
Pakistan Petroleum Limited is a Pakistan based oil company, it was incorporated June 5, 1950, when it inherited the assets and liabilities of the Burmah Oil Company Ltd. which initially holds 70% of the share with the rest mostly held by the Government of Pakistan...
. 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
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
, “…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
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited is an Indian state-owned oil and gas company headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is one of the largest Asia-based oil and gas exploration and production companies, and produces around 77% of India's total crude oil production and around 81% of...
, 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 IndiaOil India
Oil India is a public sector oil and gas company in India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Government of India. OIL is engaged in the business of exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, transportation of crude oil...
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 AcademyIndian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
) 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
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, 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.
Children
Nalini Metre,Arun Metre,
Asha Hadole,
Ravi Metre,
Usha Chaujer,
Sheila Vir,
Sudha Tewari,
Kshama Metre-recipient Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 2008,
Pramode Metre,
Vinod Metre and
Anil Metre.