Senior Reservoir Engineer Development
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About the field development team
The Field Development team’s purpose is to translate the Majnoon Field Development Plan into an executable plan, whereby a series of capital projects are defined and matured to the Front-End Engineering Design stage (FEED). It requires the team to articulate the main development strategies for hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbons streams, break down the overall FDP production profiles (production and injection) into a discrete number of projects with quantified scope (subsurface, wells, engineering) to be executed in a specific order, based on stated targets and Majnoon field performance. To do so, the team will define and model feasible options for each project, have the preferred concept approved by Basra Oil Company and mature the scope into a Basis of Design.
The integrated field development team is composed of a petroleum architect, conceptual engineers, discipline engineers, well engineers, reservoir engineers and project services specialists.
Role purpose
The Senior Reservoir Engineer is a key contributor in developing and updating the FDP execution plan document, which serves as the basis of all capital projects to be timely executed. This will require both full field reservoirs modeling and articulating development strategies for the hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbons streams (production and injection), if not explicitly written and quantified in the Field Development Plan document.
Before any project is kicked-off, the reservoir engineer will assess the adequacy of the current FDP execution plan, and specific scope and timing of the project by:
Reviewing Majnoon’s reservoirs, wells, field performance and updated long-term production/injection forecasts, together with the Wells, Reservoirs and Facilities Management and field studies teams in Iraq
Reviewing the short and long-term Integrated Activity Planning with the Production Programming Team
Reviewing the previous and ongoing linked projects within Majnoon and outside by third parties with the Projects team
Once projects have been kicked-off, the Senior Reservoir Engineer will perform all the required dynamic flow modeling, fit-for-purpose and full-field modeling, inclusive of IPSM modeling, in support of developing various concept options. Those runs will be refined with the process, discipline engineers and well engineers, and form the backbone of each feasible concept. In addition, the Senior Reservoir Engineer will be custodian of the PVT database, to be used as basis for design (oil, gas, produced water, injection water specifications, etc.). The Senior Reservoir Engineer will be a key contributor in writing the Concept Selection report, to be submitted ahead of the Concept Selection Review milestone.
During the conceptual engineering phase, leading to the Basis for Design, the Senior Reservoir Engineer will contribute to optimize the selected concept and freeze the functional requirements (it needs to perform “this”, and nothing more) of the project’s scope.
During the FEED phase, the Senior Reservoir Engineer will assist the FEED team on clarifying all the profiles (volumes and timing), PVT specifications and functional requirements.
Key responsibilities
- Reservoir modeling
Perform fit-for-purpose and detailed dynamic flow simulations in support of the overall FDP execution strategy
Project-specific modeling at the feasibility, conceptual and optimization stages of the front-end project maturation
Perform reservoirs, wells and field performance analyses, history-matching and long-term production forecasting, in support or jointly with the Wells, Reservoirs and Facilities Management and field studies teams in Iraq
Actively participate in Wells, Reservoirs and Facilities Management field reviews with the specific task to assess the adequacy of the FDP execution plan (scope, timing, validation of concepts, etc.)
The above tasks will require proficiency in various reservoir engineering tools such as:
Creating type curves and running projects and full-field scenarios in PetroVR
Running sector and full-field models in Petrel RE/Eclipse/Intersect in history-matching and forecasting mode
Performing Integrated Production Systems modeling (PROSPER, GAP) for single projects or in support of the FDP execution strategy
Jointly with the field studies team in Iraq, establishing the PVT register and fluid specifications for the oil, gas, produced water and injection water for the FDP execution strategy and each project. If required, initiating data sampling and analyses at the Feasibility Stage, to reduce risks and uncertainties impacting project scope and concept selection
Working closely with the rest of the development team, ensuring perfect technical integration of input/output between subsurface, wells engineering, process and disciplines engineering and field architecture
- Technical leadership and governance
Obtain technical assurance sign-off by the Petroleum Engineering Manager (field) on own work prior to finalizing the Concept Selection Report and the Reservoir Engineering section of the Basis of Design
Provide technical assurance on reservoir engineering work, simulations, forecasts, and reserves estimates to the Wells, Reservoirs and Facilities Management and field studies teams, when required
Establish best practices, workflows, and standards across the reservoir engineering discipline, with focus on FDP execution and project maturation in the front-end
Guide wells, process and discipline engineers, ensuring their understanding of the uncertainties and limitations of the reservoir modeling output, and work together towards auditable trade-offs
- Production optimization
When required, by Wells, Reservoirs and Facilities Management and/or the field studies team, and if time permits, assist them on production forecasting, decline curve analysis, material balance, and nodal analyses
Support short- and long-term hydrocarbon production strategies
- Reserves management
Assist Petroleum Engineering Manager (field) with annual reserves certification (1P/2P/3P) and SPE-PRMS compliance
If required, interface with internal and external auditors for reserves reporting
- Data and technology
Implement strict data management procedures, ensuring full auditability of raw and interpreted data (e.g., PVT), dynamic runs in support of concept options, concept selection, concept optimization and Basis for Design
Oversee data quality assurance, interpretation, and integration into models
- HSE and risk management
Ensure all activities comply with corporate HSE and regulatory standards
Lead subsurface risk assessments and ensure mitigation plans are in place
Qualifications and experience
Education
Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering or Reservoir Engineering (mandatory)
PhD in Petroleum/Reservoir Engineering (preferred)
Experience
Typically 15+ years in reservoir or petroleum engineering
Minimum 5 years specifically in integrated (subsurface/surface) FDP studies and project maturation in the front-end, with explicit involvement (key contributor or leader) for the Concept Selection Review milestone and selected concept optimization to issuing the Basis for Design
Experience in FDP execution strategy development or hydrocarbons maturation planning through specifically defined projects would be very advantageous
Experience in FEED support will be an advantage
Demonstrated experience with major oil and gas reservoirs (carbonate/clastic, conventional/unconventional)
Strong background in field development, simulation, and reserves evaluation
Site experience in the Middle East and any specific experience in the Iraqi southern Oil Fields would be advantageous
Technical skills
Expertise in conventional reservoir simulation (e.g., Eclipse, Intersect)
Experience in running PetroVR is required
Proficiency in production optimization tools (e.g., Prosper, GAP, MBAL)
Good understanding of reservoir surveillance and modelling capabilities
Solid understanding of well testing, pressure-transient analysis, and flow assurance
Good understanding of process engineering requirements and interfaces with reservoir engineering
Excellent communication and stakeholder management
Strong analytical, decision-making, and strategic thinking skills