Job Title: Senior Drilling Engineer

Organizational Entity: Drilling & Wells

  Accountabilities:

As a Senior Drilling Engineer within the Drilling & Wells (DW) team, you will be primarily responsible for engineering activities covering the planning, program preparation, and execution of drilling and workover operations. Your role includes delivering engineering design, preparing drilling programs, and providing operational support for both new and existing wells. Working closely with multi-disciplinary teams, you will ensure that drilling programs, program amendments, Management of Change (MOC) processes, and deviations to NOC standards are prepared on schedule and appropriately risk-assessed. You will demonstrate commitment to HSE, Golden Rules, and an Incident-Free workplace by acting as a leading example and contributor.

Job Dimensions:

As part of the drilling team, your responsibilities include:

Preparing well designs following the Well Site Operating Requirements (WSOR) process in line with NOC rules and procedures.

Preparing optimized well drilling programs focused on cost efficiency and minimizing lead times.

Monitoring drilling operations to prevent collisions and ensuring timely reporting of any deviations from the plan.

Ensuring all necessary deviations are properly authorized.

Participating in Cross-Functional Team (CFT) processes to confirm the suitability of contracted services, equipment, and personnel relative to operational needs.

Preparing drilling feasibility studies for ad-hoc opportunities such as slot recoveries, re-drills, and multi-lateral wells.

Closely following up on Non-Conformance Report (NCR) investigations and ensuring their timely closure.

Leading or actively participating in Task Forces formed to address various operational challenges.

Acting as a mentor to junior engineers, interns, and associate drilling engineers.

Monitoring contracts to steer contractors on HSE compliance, personnel, equipment, and invoicing.

Continuously seeking innovative approaches to improve operational procedures, equipment, and contracted services to enhance safety and efficiency.

Ensuring prompt implementation of lessons learned.

Preparing and submitting timely and accurate Final Well Reports.

Key Activities: 1. Health, Safety & Environment

Identify all drilling-related risks and ensure corresponding risk registers are included for every well operation.

Highlight all HSE requirements and lifting color codes in drilling and workover programs.

Prepare exemption dossiers as needed and ensure risk analyses are completed for all non-routine operations.

Maintain company safety standards across all worksites.

2. Drilling Operation Preparation and Monitoring

Collaborate closely with Reservoir & Geoscience (RGS) teams during well preparation per WSOR process, clearly defining well objectives, trajectories, casing design, drilling challenges, and associated cost estimates.

Perform torque and drag studies, hydraulics analyses, and anti-collision screenings.

Design and optimize well trajectories to minimize collision risks.

Prepare well programs and organize Drilling & Workover Program (DWOP) meetings with onshore and rig site teams.

Develop planning schedules and progress curves, monitor daily progress, and prepare detailed programs for non-routine activities in coordination with the Drilling Superintendent.

Present design decisions and operational progress regularly to management, partners, and regulators.

Ensure accurate reporting of drilling performance and daily costs in daily reports and dedicated software.

Optimize drilling performance by developing strategies and engaging with contractors and rig teams.

Provide engineering support and advice to rig personnel during program execution.

Conduct regular rig visits including safety meetings, audits, quality reviews, and operational follow-ups.

Prepare final well reports, ensuring high-quality data capture and lessons learned are documented in after-action reviews and software.

Participate in technical studies aimed at improving drilling operations.

Participate in tender processes for drilling service contracts.

3. Additional Responsibilities

Provide drilling engineering input during initial screening of opportunities aimed at recovery improvement or production rate increases.

Support integrated teams during the select phase for maturing workovers, re-drills, and infill wells, including feasibility evaluations, equipment availability checks, technology advisories, and initial cost estimates.

Act as focal point for certain contracts and occasionally serve as Lead Drilling Engineer for new wells.

Lead key engineering studies to optimize drilling operations.

Mentor junior drilling engineers.
 

Qualifications & Experience Required:

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Master’s preferred).

8-10 years of Drilling & Well Engineering experience, including a minimum of 2 years of rig site operational experience.

Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Proficiency in well planning using Landmark Suite tools such as Compass™, WellPlan™, StressCheck™, and Casing Seat™.

Experience with contract management.

Skilled in MS Office suite.

Experience creating and delivering presentations to management, shareholders, and regulators.

Competence in using reporting software such as WellView™.

Valid IWCF Well Control Certification (Level 4) or equivalent competency.

Valid OPITO™ approved certifications for Sea Survival, H2S, and Fire-Fighting or equivalent competency.