Operations Geologist

Operations Geologist
Location: Afungi - Mozambique
Contract: Long-term project assignment

About the Role
We are currently recruiting an experienced Operations Geologist to support a major offshore oil and gas development in Mozambique.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of geological operations associated with exploration, appraisal and development wells. The role will involve close collaboration with drilling, geoscience, wellsite and service-company teams, ensuring high-quality geological data acquisition, real-time interpretation and effective operational decision-making.
The position will support complex offshore drilling activities, including deepwater, HP/HT, deviated and horizontal wells, with a strong focus on operational safety, data quality, risk management and cost control.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise geological operations for offshore drilling activities, supporting one rig and, when required, two rigs from the office.
• Provide geological support throughout well preparation, drilling operations, data acquisition and post-well activities.
• Monitor and interpret real-time geological and drilling data to support operational decision-making.
• Ensure appropriate QA/QC of real-time geological data and acquisition activities.
• Coordinate and supervise geological service providers, including monitoring crew and equipment performance.
• Support basic real-time petrophysical interpretation and formation evaluation.
• Contribute to post-well analysis, reporting and lessons-learned activities.
• Support the preparation and review of well proposals, WSOR documentation and geological programmes.
• Contribute to pore-pressure prognosis and data-acquisition planning, including LWD, wireline and sampling programmes.
• Prepare geological reports and communicate operational findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

HSE & Operational Risk

• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture across onshore and offshore operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable HSE procedures, standards and operational requirements.
• Participate in risk assessments, pre-job meetings and the preparation/review of operational procedures.
• Proactively identify and communicate geological, operational and data-related risks.
• Support incident, accident and safety-alert reporting and follow-up.
• Participate in audits and technical/HSE visits to offshore service-company units and onshore bases.
• Ensure service-company personnel working under the geological operation follow applicable safety requirements.

Stakeholder & Service-Company Management

• Work closely with drilling, G&G, logistics and other multidisciplinary teams.
• Provide technical oversight of geological service companies and contractors.
• Coordinate activities across multicultural and multidisciplinary operational teams.
• Use technical expertise and evidence-based analysis to influence operational decisions.
• Provide guidance and coaching to wellsite geologists and junior geological personnel.
• Contribute to lessons learned and REX activities across the drilling programme.

Candidate Requirements

Education

• Master's degree or equivalent qualification in Geology, Geoscience or a related discipline.

Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years' experience in Operations Geology.
• At least 2 years' experience as a Wellsite Geologist.
• Proven experience supporting deep offshore drilling operations.
• Experience with HP/HT wells is required.
• Experience with complex deviated and/or horizontal wells.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary and multicultural offshore environments.

Technical Skills

The successful candidate should demonstrate strong capability in:

• Well and pad planning.
• Real-time geological monitoring of drilling operations.
• Formation evaluation and interpretation.
• Advanced geosteering.
• Pore-pressure estimation and geomechanics.
• Geological risk and wellbore stability assessment.
• Planning and supervision of LWD, wireline and sampling programmes.
• Mudlogging and real-time geological data interpretation.
• High-quality geological reporting.
• Operational risk and uncertainty management.
• Technical supervision of service companies.
• Contract management and invoicing.
• Digital geological/operational systems, including Gravitas and COP Toolbox.
• Lessons learned / REX preparation and communication.

Good knowledge of:

• Wireline logging principles and applications.
• LWD technology and interpretation, including open-hole and cased-hole applications.
• Mudlogging.
• Pore-pressure principles and estimation.
• Deep offshore drilling technology.
• Petrophysical formation evaluation.
• Company reporting standards and operational guidelines.

Languages

• Fluent English is essential.
• French and/or Portuguese would be an advantage.

Certification

• Certification/qualification in the supervision of Operations Geology in accordance with applicable company requirements.

People are our business worldwide
 
Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.