# Sriram Vasantharajan

> Sriram Vasantharajan is the President and CEO of Mazama Energy, a Khosla Ventures and Gates Frontier-backed startup drilling into Oregon's Newberry Volcano to prove that superhot rock geothermal can deliver round-the-clock, carbon-free power at fossil-fuel prices. A former ExxonMobil engineer and CEO of oilfield services firm Blade Energy Partners, he is now applying decades of drilling and well-stimulation know-how from the oil patch to the geothermal industry, chasing rock hot enough to make a volcano's flank into a power plant.

- **Role:** President / CEO at Mazama Energy
- **Organizations:** Mazama Energy, Blade Energy Partners, ExxonMobil
- **Education:** PhD, Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Master's degree, Carnegie Mellon University
- **Known for:** Led Mazama Energy's Newberry, Oregon pilot to the hottest bottomhole temperature ever recorded in an enhanced geothermal system: 629°F (331°C)., Oversaw drilling of a 10,200-foot deviated producer well with peak penetration rates of 100 feet per hour and zero lost-time incidents., Raised a $36 million Series A for Mazama Energy from Khosla Ventures and Gates Frontier, plus a $20 million Department of Energy grant.

## Career timeline

- **—** — Held engineering and leadership roles at ExxonMobil, including Manager, Program Leader, Project Leader, and Senior Engineer, in oil and gas exploration and services.
- **—** — Served as Executive Vice President at Blade Energy Partners, overseeing integrated projects in geosciences, petrophysical analysis, prospect evaluation, and field development planning.
- **—** — Became President and CEO of Blade Energy Partners, an engineering services firm for the upstream oil and gas industry.
- **—** — Became President and CEO of Mazama Energy, a geothermal energy startup incubated by Khosla Ventures.
- **2025-10** — Mazama Energy announced the world's hottest Enhanced Geothermal System at 629°F (331°C) at its Newberry Volcano pilot site in Oregon, supported by a $20 million Department of Energy grant and $36 million Series A funding from Khosla Ventures and Gates Frontier.

## Achievements

- Led Mazama Energy's Newberry, Oregon pilot to the hottest bottomhole temperature ever recorded in an enhanced geothermal system: 629°F (331°C).
- Oversaw drilling of a 10,200-foot deviated producer well with peak penetration rates of 100 feet per hour and zero lost-time incidents.
- Raised a $36 million Series A for Mazama Energy from Khosla Ventures and Gates Frontier, plus a $20 million Department of Energy grant.
- Previously served as President and CEO of Blade Energy Partners, an upstream oil and gas engineering services firm.

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Announced the world's hottest Enhanced Geothermal System at Mazama Energy's Newberry, Oregon pilot site, reaching 629°F (331°C) bottomhole temperature.
- **2025-10** — Disclosed plans to extend drilling into the SuperHot Rock regime above 400°C, and to progress toward a 15 MW pilot in 2026 and a 200 MW development project.

## Links

- Website: https://mazamaenergy.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramv963

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/sriram-vasantharajan
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Last updated: 2026-07-08