New Delhi: Shankar Sharan has taken charge as Managing Director of ONGC Petrochemicals Marketing Limited (OPML), a newly established joint venture backed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), and ONGC Petro-additions Limited (OPaL). With more than three decades of experience at ONGC, Sharan will lead the company’s efforts to integrate petrochemicals marketing and trading activities across the ONGC Group.
His appointment comes as the group establishes a dedicated platform to strengthen coordination across its downstream businesses and improve the marketing, distribution and commercial management of petrochemical products.
Sharan joined ONGC in November 1991 and has held several senior positions across production, engineering, marketing and downstream operations. Before taking up his new assignment, he was serving as Group General Manager at ONGC.
OPML Established to Integrate Petrochemicals Marketing and Trading
ONGC Petrochemicals Marketing Limited is a joint venture promoted by ONGC, MRPL and OPaL. Incorporated on October 7, 2026, the company has been established to bring the ONGC Group’s petrochemicals and related products marketing and trading activities under a unified platform.
The shareholding structure of OPML is as follows:
- ONGC: 50% stake
- Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL): 25% stake
- ONGC Petro-additions Limited (OPaL): 25% stake
Through this joint venture, the group aims to create a coordinated approach to petrochemicals marketing and trading. The new entity is expected to oversee key commercial activities, including:
- Product marketing and pricing
- Distribution and logistics management
- Sales planning and coordination
- Integration of petrochemicals marketing and trading activities
The integrated platform is also expected to improve coordination between the group’s petrochemical production businesses and their market-facing operations.
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Shankar Sharan Brings Over 30 Years of ONGC Experience
Shankar Sharan brings extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, having spent more than 30 years at ONGC. Since joining the company in November 1991, he has handled responsibilities across offshore and onshore production operations, engineering, marketing and downstream business development.
Before his appointment as Managing Director of OPML, Sharan served as Group General Manager at ONGC, where he held senior responsibilities across operational and business functions.
His professional experience includes:
- Offshore and onshore production operations
- Engineering and production management
- Marketing and downstream operations
- Downstream business development
- Senior management responsibilities within ONGC
Sharan has also served as a Non-Executive Director of ONGC Tripura Power Company, reflecting his involvement in the wider ONGC Group’s business activities.
Educational Qualifications of Shankar Sharan
Sharan holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Sindri. He also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon.
His educational qualifications include:
- Engineering: Mechanical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Sindri
- Management: Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from MDI, Gurgaon
His technical education, combined with management qualifications and experience across multiple business functions at ONGC, provides a foundation for his new leadership role at OPML.
OPML to Strengthen ONGC Group’s Petrochemicals Business
The establishment of OPML marks a strategic step in the ONGC Group’s efforts to strengthen its position across the petrochemicals value chain. By consolidating marketing and trading activities within a dedicated entity, the group aims to improve commercial coordination and streamline the movement of petrochemical products to customers.
The unified platform is expected to help ONGC, MRPL and OPaL:
- Align their commercial and marketing strategies
- Coordinate product distribution and logistics
- Improve sales planning across the group
- Strengthen the marketing of petrochemical products
- Respond more effectively to changing market conditions and customer requirements
Centralised coordination of pricing, marketing and trading activities could also help the group improve operational efficiency and develop a more integrated approach to its downstream business.
Leadership Priorities for the Newly Established OPML
As Managing Director, Sharan will play an important role in establishing OPML’s operating framework and implementing the group’s strategy for integrated petrochemicals marketing.
The company’s key priorities are expected to include:
- Establishing operational and commercial processes
- Coordinating marketing and trading activities across the group
- Improving distribution and logistics planning
- Aligning pricing and sales strategies
- Expanding the market reach of petrochemical products
The success of the new venture will depend on how effectively it coordinates the activities of its three promoters and translates the integrated approach into improved commercial performance.
Sharan’s experience across production, engineering, marketing and downstream operations is expected to be relevant as OPML develops its position within the ONGC Group’s petrochemicals business.
About ONGC Petrochemicals Marketing Limited (OPML)
ONGC Petrochemicals Marketing Limited is a joint venture promoted by ONGC, MRPL and OPaL. Incorporated on October 7, 2026, the company was established to integrate the ONGC Group’s petrochemicals and related products marketing and trading activities. ONGC holds a 50% stake in OPML, while MRPL and OPaL each hold 25%. The company aims to strengthen coordination across marketing, pricing, distribution, logistics and sales planning, supporting a more integrated approach to the group’s petrochemicals business.
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