26/06/2026 by Thomas Clark
US-based Chevron has posted the story of Jitendra Kikani, the company’s subsurface vice president, and how the behind-the-scenes efforts often go unnoticed.
Almost every aspect of our lives is related to energy in some way. It is almost taken for granted that homes get heated and petrol and diesel are always available, although energy security still lacks in some developing countries. People therefore only notice when something goes wrong, yet there are engineers working almost invisibly to ensure this rarely happens.
Kikani entered the energy field in 1989. He now leads the Upstream Labs at Chevron, which also makes derived products like grease and lubricant oils. The industry’s methods have changed a lot since 1989. Elements like seismic imaging, pressure readings and well data form the indirect basis by which engineers work out how to extract as many resources as possible. This has improved incrementally, most recently with technologies like modern simulation tools and analysis with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). As Kikani puts it:
“Big breakthroughs occur periodically, but it is the small things that matter. These decisions lead to tangible outcomes of supplying the world with affordable and reliable energy that powers our lives.”
Kikani was recently honoured to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The NAE has no formal process for nomination or application; instead, peers select who they believe will be suitable members. It was a recognition of Kikani’s decades-long work on releasing the energy locked underground. He said it reflects how Chevron promotes and nurtures innovation and creativity.
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