The Senior Well Engineer is responsible and accountable for the operational performance, regulatory compliance, and safe delivery of multiple well operations achieved through the leadership of a multi-disciplined drilling, completions, and work-over team. The position supports single or multi-rig operations to deliver wells within the planned time, cost, and HSE targets by using optimum technology and best industry practices without compromising established company policies and HSE standards. The role drives the implementation of all lessons learned from offset wells, contributes to performance analysis and improvement, target setting, and benchmarking.
Core Well Engineering Skills
- Well Engineering Operations Planning and Execution
- Casing Design planning and execution
- Drill String Design and Directional Plan programming and execution
- Well Control Equipment and Executing Well Control Operations
- Drilling Fluid and Cementing Design planning and execution
- Selection and management of Drilling and Completion Units and Equipment
- Completion and intervention planning and execution
Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities
People Leadership & Team Management
- Line Management: Act as the direct line manager for Well Engineers, who will report directly to this position.
- Talent Development: Motivate, coach, mentor and develop well engineers within the operational team.
Operational & Performance Management
- Rig Support: Provide office-based technical support to the Well Engineer Manager to effectively manage rig/hoist operations.
- Continuous Improvement: Embed the 'Drilling technical Limit' concept (DWOP - Drill Well on Paper, AAR - After Action Reviews, BPR - Business Performance Reviews) and performance management in each activity to drive a learning organization.
- Rig Site Collaboration: Provide real-time support and technical information to the rig-site Drilling Supervisor on all matters related to drilling, completion, work-over, and abandonment operations.
- Cost & Efficiency: Monitor work delivered and associated costs. Ensuring that the most cost-effective techniques and equipment are applied on site.
- Technical Standardization: Standardize all drilling/CWI assemblies, hydraulics, and drilling parameters; lead trial initiatives (including new drill bit trials) with clear performance metrics and structured feedback loops.
- Reporting: Create all necessary technical reports to support operations and ensure timely lookaheads for personnel, equipment, and services.
Delivery & Design Accountability
- Budgetary Target: Ensure all well objectives are achieved within agreed program time constraints and budget.
- KPI: Maintain actual vs. planned cost.
- Lifecycle Integrity: Ensure robust well designs that account for all relevant load cases over the entire well lifecycle.
- Equipment Specification: Manage the definition and technical specification of all well drilling equipment.
- Program Schedule: Accountable for timely program delivery to run the rig(s).
- KPI: Full well program delivered 4 weeks before spud; sub-programs (Completions, Logging, etc.) issued 2 weeks before commencement.
- Change Management: Support operational changes or rescheduling under a proper Management of Change (MOC) process to ensure well objectives are met.
Compliance, HSSE & Process Safety
- Process Safety: Ensure Wells Process Safety principles are thoroughly implemented, identified, and strictly assured.
- HSSE: Serve as the focal point for HSSE management with contractors and execute systematic evaluations of service quality.
Contractor & Stakeholder Management
- Contract Quality Control: Maintain and control the availability, quality, and performance of services and equipment provided under the various service contracts.
- Contract Holder Duties: Support contract management as a Contract Holder in select cases, participating actively as a member of the contract management team.
- Contract Drafting: Assist in developing detailed contracts that clearly prescribe technical expectations and contractor deliverables.
- Contractor Relations: Manage contractor services in line with the contracting strategy; lead structured performance, planning, and deviation discussions.
- Cross-functional Alignment: Support and foster collaborative relationships with subsurface, production, facilities, operations, and construction teams.
Desired Candidate Profile
Requirements
- Education: Bacheloru2019s Engineering degree, or equivalent technical discipline.
- Experience: At least 10 years, preferably 15+ years, of relevant experience in E&P in well engineering with deep knowledge of well planning, well design, well programming, and well construction including completions.
- Regional Exposure: Preferred exposure and experience with Drilling and CWI (Completions & Well Interventions) activities in Oman.
- Technical Forecast: Proven ability and willingness to avoid potential difficulties by predicting and understanding downhole conditions and applying appropriate preventive techniques.
- Certifications: Valid IWCF certificate (Supervisor/Level 4 Surface Stack).
- Deep Drilling: Must possess robust experience in deep drilling environments.
- Design Capabilities: Comprehensive experience in casing & tubing design, cement design, fluids/mud programmes, BHA designs, and hydraulics optimization to suit Well Construction & CWI programs.
- Software & Systems: Fully conversant with Well Planning software, directional drilling, and horizontal well operations with proven leadership capabilities in onshore oilfield operations.
- Commercial Acumen: experience in Contract Management acting in the role of Contract Holder or Deputy Contract Holder.
- Methodology: Possesses a continuous improvement and simplification mindset, with practical knowledge of Agile ways of working.
- Communication: Excellent oral and written Technical English communication skills.