Ali Meschi Amoli: CCUS by Vallourec

14/01/2021 - Careers

As Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Marketing and Development Manager, Ali Meschi Amoli is a key player in Vallourec’s ETO (Energy Transition Opportunities) initiative, aiming at developing low-carbon solutions. Drawing on his background in renewables for international oil giants, he is spearheading important work that is helping Vallourec play our part in the energy transition. 

What is your role at Vallourec?

When Vallourec first launched the ETO initiative, in October 2019, as part of its transformation program, the aim was to identify alternative business opportunities to offset the impact of the changes we are seeing in the oil and gas industries. I was on board right from the start – as part of a solar energy workshop - because of my background in renewables. 

I now manage marketing and development for the CCUS solutions line. My job is to ensure we understand the market and its key trends, are aware of all the key players and projects in progress, adapt our solutions and develop our positioning in the value chain. To this end, I coordinate the efforts by R&D, Innovation, M&D and commercial teams.

What do you like about your job?

I’m really happy to be part of this initiative and the role it lets me play in the energy transition. Originally, I’m an oil and gas man – I have worked for the National Iranian Oil Company and Total. In my previous positions, I could see how the market was transitioning towards low carbon sources of energy, and I knew I wanted to be part of that one day. When Vallourec launched the ETO initiative, I felt that my experience meant I had something to offer. 

Working in Corporate Strategy & Marketing in Vallourec’s D&I department has allowed me to get to know the company well and to appreciate its broad reach. This post has put me in daily contact with different teams and colleagues in all kinds of roles. I find that stimulating and energizing. I’ve also seen first-hand how seriously everyone in the company, from top to bottom, is taking the need for new energy initiatives. 

What do you find challenging about your job?

It’s the challenges that make my job so interesting!

The first challenge I face in CCUS is raising awareness of our work across Vallourec, which is a large, diverse group. CCUS is not a core business for us, so I have to evangelize and support technical and sales people on the ground to ensure everyone understands the importance of the energy transition and our role within it.   

I said that I work with people from across the entire company, and that’s something I love about this job. That diversity of contact, however, is also what creates the second major challenge I face. I have to balance the competing priorities of lots of different people, making sure that everyone ends up satisfied. 

Lastly, time management is of the essence for me. There are only eight people in the ETO, and two in CCUS. We have to manage a huge range of issues - from transportation solutions, storage and injection solutions and capture technologies, to innovation topics like intelligent pipe, and Smartengo solutions. There is a clear sense that these subjects are high priority and there is real momentum surrounding them. We all know we have to deliver on these, and that’s a challenge. 

What qualities do you need to do your job?

I think it’s important to have a hybrid background for this job. I work on both marketing and development, so it’s important both to understand the market and know how to address it. 

Having knowledge of economics and some technical expertise is also very useful. I talk to everyone from Vallourec R&D staff and customers’ drilling and chemical engineers to sales people and business development managers, so knowing how to speak all those different languages is vital. It’s also important to be flexible, a good communicator, and not easily overwhelmed!