Chevron invests $1bn in new R&D hub in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Global energy solutions provider Chevron is making a significant investment of $1 billion to establish a new research and development (R&D) hub in Bengaluru, called the Chevron Engineering and Innovation Excellence Centre (ENGINE).

This will be Chevron’s first large-scale engineering and innovation centre in India.

The Chevron ENGINE, located near Bellandur, aims to hire specialised talent in both engineering and digital services, with around 600 positions to be filled by the end of 2025.

The company also plans to continue expanding its workforce over time.

Akshay Sahni, the incoming country head for Chevron India, highlighted that the creation of this center marks a pivotal moment in Chevron’s 145-year history.

Importance of partnership

While the company already operates a large technical centre in Houston, US, and has smaller labs in California and Aberdeen, the Bengaluru hub will be one of Chevron’s larger technology centres globally.

Sahni also mentioned the importance of partnerships, including those with external service providers. “As we establish ourselves in India, we anticipate greater collaboration with local partners, though some work may also be brought in-house,” he stated.

In addition to this new venture, Chevron has recently partnered with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation in India.

Through its subsidiary, Chevron Brands, the company entered into a long-term agreement to introduce Chevron’s lubricant products to the Indian market. Chevron, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, operates in over 150 countries.

“We believe this is an exciting time for the energy sector, as we face the dual challenge of meeting growing energy demands while building a lower-carbon energy system for the future. The team at ENGINE will play a key role in developing the technology solutions needed to achieve these goals,” Sahni said.

To recruit talent from various disciplines

Chevron plans to recruit talent from various engineering disciplines, including mechanical, chemical, computer science, and electrical engineering. The company will also hire specialists in geology, geophysics, and environmental science.

Sahni emphasised that the $1 billion investment represents not only a financial commitment but also the sharing of global expertise.

“We expect collaborative partnerships to result in technology solutions developed at scale in Bengaluru. We firmly believe that these partnerships will harness the immense talent available in India alongside our global subject matter experts.”

The new centre will focus on improving operational reliability, developing low-carbon energy solutions, and exploring subsurface geology for carbon storage. Chevron’s ongoing relationship with third-party tech service providers will continue to be valuable, with plans for both external collaborations and in-house innovations.