Mumbai, Oct 15 (IANS): Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd. (EOGEPL) on Thursday said its board had appointed global upstream industry veteran Santosh Chandra as the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

"Chandra, a seasoned professional with more than 30 years experience, has an impressive record in the oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) ranging from a start-up and remote field operations to full field development across onshore, offshore and deep-water settings," the company said in a statement.

"In his current role, he will be spearheading EOGEPL's E&P business to a higher growth trajectory and valuation by designing and implementing a strategic business plan given that coal bed methane (CBM) gas is the fuel of this century and is high in demand as a clean fuel."

The CBM gas is widely seen as the fuel of this century.

EOGEPL is an investee company of Essar Capital and India's largest operator of unconventional hydrocarbon acreages.

Essar Capital's investments in EOGEPL are a part of its investment portfolio in exploration and production businesses which are increasingly focussed on clean fuels.