Job Summary
Responsible for delivering exploration, appraisal, and production gas wells, ensuring achievement of KPIs related to HSE, cost, and performance. The role focuses on executing technically complex drilling campaigns, particularly underbalanced and near-balanced operations in fractured carbonate reservoirs, while managing narrow pressure windows, wellbore stability, fluid losses, and reservoir protection to maximise well productivity.
Key Responsibilities
HSE Accountability:
- Promote and lead HSE initiatives, ensuring full compliance with company and regulatory standards
- Accountable for achieving HSE KPIs across all drilling and well delivery activities
- Lead risk assessments specific to UBD/MPD operations, gas wells, and fractured carbonate environments
- Ensure well control readiness and contingency planning for kicks, losses, and sour gas (if applicable)
- Direct Drilling Superintendents and engineering teams to ensure safe and efficient execution of all well programs
- Lead design and implementation of: (1) Underbalanced and near-balanced drilling programs, (2) Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) systems, (3) Casing, mud, and hydraulics programs tailored to fractured carbonate reservoirs
- Ensure compliance with the company’s Well Delivery Process and continuous improvement of standards
- Manage drilling challenges, including (1) Severe and total losses, (2) Narrow pore pressure/fracture gradient windows, (3) Wellbore instability in carbonates
- Review and approve drilling plans, ensuring availability of rigs, equipment, and specialized UBD/MPD services
- Conduct regular wellsite visits and real-time operational oversight
- Technically approve contracts for rigs and specialised drilling services
- Deliver wells safely, on time, and within budget while optimising reservoir exposure and minimising formation damage.
- Monitor real-time drilling performance and make critical operational decisions
- Drive improvements in: Rate of Penetration (ROP), Non-productive time (NPT) reduction, Cost efficiency per well
- Integrate subsurface data with drilling execution to optimise well placement and performance
- Control expenditure and justify variances between planned and actual costs
- Prepare AFEs, cost tracking, and post-well reports
- Report operational progress versus plans to senior management
- Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management to drilling teams and engineers
- Build a high-performance culture focused on safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement
Maintain strong working relationships with (1) Internal departments (Subsurface, Production, HSE); (2) Contractors and service providers (including MPD/UBD specialists); and (3) Joint venture partners and senior management.
Continuous Improvement:
- Monitor operational performance and implement best practices and new technologies
- Captures and applies lessons learned from regional and similar carbonate gas developments
As per the company's operations management standards.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering or related discipline
- IWCF/IADC Well Control Certification (Supervisor level preferred)
- 20+ years oil & gas experience, including 15+ years in drilling leadership roles (Manager/Superintendent/Supervisor); Extensive experience in gas well drilling
- Mandatory experience includes (1) regional or similar Middle East carbonate reservoirs, (2) underbalanced and/or near-balanced drilling operations, (3) managed pressure drilling (MPD), and (4) fractured carbonate formations with severe losses
- Strong background in drilling and/or completions engineering
- Advanced knowledge of well design, well control, pressure management, drilling fluids, cementing, zonal isolation, and well barriers
- Expertise in: Narrow drilling window management, Loss circulation and reservoir damage mitigation, Real-time drilling optimisation
- Familiarity with drilling engineering software (e.g. Landmark, WellPlan)
- Strong leadership and team management capability
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- High integrity, safety mindset, and ethical standards
- An analytical, proactive, and detail-oriented approach
- Ability to operate effectively in multicultural and remote environments
- Safe delivery of complex gas wells in fractured carbonates
- Effective execution of UBD/MPD strategies
- Reduction of NPT and drilling costs
- Strong HSE performance and team leadership
- Successful integration of drilling with reservoir objectives
Based in the UAE with flexibility for frequent business travel to Iraq.
*Only applicants meeting the strict criteria outlined above will be contacted as part of the shortlisting process.