Dr. Ngo Huu Hai and the journey of exploiting "black gold" drops
In the midst of the stormy East Sea, where the drilling rigs stand tall to assert the sovereignty of the Fatherland, there are people who exploit the “black gold drops” for the Fatherland day and night. Among them, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Petroleum Association, former General Director of the East Sea Petroleum Operating Company, stands out as a symbol: sharp intelligence, steadfast spirit, passionate heart, leaving a strong mark in the history of the Vietnamese oil and gas industry.
Author:Khanh Nhu /Technique:Hong Toai• September 6, 2025
“Sweet potatoes in the morning, sweet potatoes at noon, sweet potatoes at night. Sweet potatoes for three meals a day.
"He passed, the father passed, the son passed. The whole family passed"
The couplets about the hard work and success of the ancestors of the Ngo Cong Than Ly Trai family in Duc Chau commune, Nghe An still have their value today, demonstrating the will, determination and love of learning of the people of Nghe An for generations. Born in 1962 in a family of civil servants, the traditions of the homeland, family and clan have been deeply imprinted in Ngo Huu Hai's mind since childhood. Overcoming the harsh winter cold, walking dozens of kilometers every day to go to school, he has never missed school. The young man from Nghe An has chosen the path of conquering knowledge in a challenging field - oil and gas exploitation technology. Graduating from the University of Mining and Geology, he started his career as a mining worker, working under the scorching sun, salty sea breeze, and 12-hour shifts. Step by step, he affirmed his ability and courage.
Cherishing every drop of oil from the ocean floor, cherishing and appreciating what the ocean mother has given, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai and his colleagues have lived and worked on offshore oil rigs for a decade. Far from the mainland and their loved ones, they are determined to stay on the rig clusters in the middle of the ocean, in deep waters and storms. That job is often compared to "eating on earth, working in the underworld": Exploiting at depths of 3,000 - 7,000m, with extremely high pressure and temperature, with an accuracy of only 100m. In addition to knowledge, the profession also requires perseverance and rare courage.
He is one of the few engineers who witnessed the historic moment of Vietnam's oil and gas industry - when the first tons of commercial oil from Bach Ho field were exploited on June 26, 1986. This was the time when Vietnam's economy had just begun to transform from a subsidized economy to a market economy, and every dollar of foreign currency earned from oil and gas was extremely valuable. Bach Ho field not only provided more than 220 million tons of oil, 30 billion cubic meters of gas and millions of tons of condensate, but also completely changed the theory of the geological structure of the world's oil and gas fields when oil and gas were found in the basement rock layer, with extremely large output.
Or at Dai Hung field, which was previously considered economically unfeasible, under his leadership it became an oil field that brought in huge revenue for the country. The field safely exploited more than 70 million barrels of oil, bringing in revenue of more than 5 billion USD - an impressive number. And when he became the leader of Bien Dong POC, he brought the Hai Thach - Moc Tinh platform cluster, not only achieving records in production output but also operating with a continuous operating time rate of up to 99.99%, far exceeding world standards. This project not only brought great benefits to the economy but also affirmed Vietnam's sacred sovereignty over the sea and islands, bringing glory to the generation of resilient, creative and always dedicated children of Nghe An for the common cause of the country.
Not only is he a pioneer in oil and gas exploitation techniques, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai is also known as "Doctor 4.0" for his outstanding efforts in applying digital technology to the oil and gas industry. He is a leader in deploying modern management systems such as predictive maintenance and artificial intelligence; helping Bien Dong POC save hundreds of millions of USD, improve efficiency, and reduce operational risks.
Dr. Ngo Huu Hai shared: “Digital transformation is not just about changing tools, but also about changing mindset. This requires each of us to be ready to face the new, embrace change and always look for better ways to do things.” Those words are the guiding principles that make Bien Dong POC become a “Science - Technology and Innovation Enterprise” in the program to honor the top 4.0 technology in Vietnam.
Not only a talented manager, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai is also an excellent scientist. He is the co-author of more than 20 scientific initiatives that have been applied in practice, bringing high economic efficiency. A typical project is the research cluster to develop gas-condensate exploitation technology under high pressure and temperature conditions on the continental shelf of Vietnam - a project that was awarded the prestigious Ho Chi Minh Prize, affirming the capacity of the oil and gas industry and its special significance for national defense and sovereignty over seas and islands. The scientific council assessed that the successful implementation of this project has created a miracle when exploiting in the most complex conditions in the world.
During his nearly 40 years of work, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai has had 62 initiatives. He is also an exceptionally outstanding person, having twice received the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology, awarded by the President in 2017 and 2022 for two works that have made special contributions to Vietnam's petroleum science.
When asked about his achievements, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai modestly shared: "I am just a small part of the big picture. What I have achieved is thanks to the cooperation of many colleagues and the support from my family and hometown."
From a family of scholars in Nghe An, the excellent son Ngo Huu Hai continued the glorious tradition of his homeland, not only with groundbreaking initiatives in exploiting “black gold”, but also with profound lessons about will, creativity and responsibility towards the country.
