Meet the New WLPGA President,
Mr Sarthak Behuria,
Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation
Sarthak Behuria - “Energising the Future”
1. What is your vision for WLPGA looking forward?
Providing more and more people access to clean and green energy in the form of LP Gas is one of the primary goals of our Association. For several years the world LP Gas industry has been meeting the energy needs of citizens across the globe. And WLPGA will continue to play a pivotal role in bringing stakeholders together to expand the horizon of LP Gas users. LP Gas is unique because of the benefit it offers consumers around the world in terms of accessibility, portability, safety and eco-friendliness. WLPGA will have its role cut out in taking the industry forward.
2. Where would you like to see the LP Gas industry over the next 3 years?
Over the next three years, the landscape of LP Gas users is expected to increase. The stringent environment norms will further accentuate the growth of LP Gas, as an eco-friendly fuel. While developed markets will intensify LP Gas use even further, many markets still remain untapped and unsaturated particularly in Asia and Africa. Auto LPG which today contributes only 8% of global LP Gas consumption will be another growth driver over the next three years. The WLPGA will have the challenging task in getting together the industry stakeholders – LP Gas producers and consumers, international agencies, media and other opinion makers - to discuss and promote large scale use of LP Gas in the larger interest of the community.
3. How will the market move / Where will WLPGA be focusing on etc?
These are challenging times for the energy sector and in particular the global LPG market has been facing tremendous price volatility along with opportunities and threats posed by the ongoing debate on ways to combat climate change. While the WLPGA is already well-geared up to face these challenges, the focus will be to step up lobbying activities across markets to project the unique benefits of LP Gas. The WLPGA will act as a catalyst in building the support of Governments and policy makers in this regard.
4. What types of initiatives will you introduce?
The Annual Forum organized by the WLPGA is a show-case event which brings together global LPG stakeholders viz, marketers, producers and equipment manufacturers on one common platform to share their experiences, operating practices and cutting-edge technologies. However, there is a lot more that needs to be done so as to ensure large scale involvement of all stakeholders from both developed and developing markets, for greater participation in an inclusive format.
5. Why is the WLPGA important to companies in Asia?
The Asian LPG market is perhaps the largest - both in terms of LPG consumption and production, if we also include the production facilities of the Middle-East. China, Japan and Korea have emerged as the largest consumers of LPG in the domestic, industrial and autogas sectors respectively. IndianOil is the second largest marketer of LPG globally after SHV Gas.
India and China continue to be the prime drivers of Asian economic growth. However, together with a huge population that they support there is still enough untapped potential, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas, where LP Gas business can grow substantially.
Hence, it is imperative that WLPGA should endeavour to widen its membership base in Asia and undertake more developmental activities to enhance the LP Gas business in this region, to bring it at par with other mature and developed LP Gas markets.
6. What does it feel like to be the first ever Indian President of this global organization?
Both India and IndianOil are privileged to be associated with WLPGA since 1987. In fact, IndianOil was one of the founder members of this body – then known as The World LPG Forum. Since then we have been active industry council members.
As Chairman of IndianOil, which is a Fortune Global 500 company and the largest commercial enterprise in India, my elevation as President of WLPGA is significant recognition of India and IndianOil’s strong presence in LP Gas business. It is therefore a matter of personal honour to be elected to lead this apex and globally recognized body, which represents the business interests of more than 170 LP Gas companies from across the world. It is also recognition for IndianOil and reinforces the status it enjoys today in the downstream petroleum business.
7. Please share with us briefly information on IndianOil
IndianOil is the largest commercial enterprise in India and is ranked 116th in the prestigious Fortune Global 500 listing of large corporates in the world.
In India, IndianOil today controls 10 of country’s 19 refineries with a refining capacity of 1.2 million barrels per day and 41% share of the refining capacity. IndianOil also owns and operates 9300 km of cross country pipelines for moving crude oil and finished petroleum products. IndianOil refineries have an ambitious growth plan with an outlay of about USD 9 billion planned for investment over the next three years for capacity augmentation, de-bottlenecking and quality upgradation.
IndianOil has one of the largest petroleum marketing and distribution networks in Asia, with over 34,000 marketing touch points. Its ubiquitous petrol/diesel stations are located across different terrains and regions of the Indian sub-continent and are backed for supplies by 166 bulk storage terminals and depots, 89 LPG bottling plants, 101 aviation fuel stations.
Pioneering the launch of LP Gas in India way back in the 1970s, Indane, IndianOil’s LP Gas brand is one of the largest packed LPG brands in the world. It is a fuel that is synonymous with safety, reliability and convenience. Currently, Indane reaches the homes of over 52 million Indians, changing their lifestyles and quality of living. Indane LP Gas is also widely used in several commercial applications and in many sophisticated industries.
IndianOil’s philosophy revolves around bringing together the best blend of quality and customer focus. As a company committed to bringing energy to life, IndianOil is literally in every heart and in every part of India.
Indian Oil website: www.iocl.com 
