Senior Drilling Engineer

  Function: P&O Wells
  Position name: Senior Drilling Engineer

• 10+ years of operational and planning experience on offshore drilling units, particularly semi-submersible rigs, with a solid understanding of associated systems, constraints, and drilling practices.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and designing extended-reach drilling (ERD), sidetrack, and complex well trajectories.
• Proficiency in the use of industry-standard software such as StressCheck and WellCat for casing design, well architecture development, and contingency planning.
• Solid understanding of pore pressure and fracture gradient (PPFG) concepts, including application in wellbore stability assessments and wellbore strengthening design.
• Sound knowledge of drilling fluid systems, including high-density mud systems and reservoir-compatible fluid design.
• Good understanding of managed pressure drilling (MPD) techniques, with the ability to operate effectively within narrow pressure windows.
• Experience in managing severe losses and operating in depleted reservoir environments.
• Strong understanding of well barrier philosophy and zonal isolation principles.
• Ability to respond effectively to well control and loss scenarios, applying structured and disciplined decision-making in high-risk situations.
• Proven experience in the design and execution of challenging cementing operations, including high-density cement systems, casing string gas seal (CSGS), and post-cement flow management.
• Strong technical communication skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts clearly to both rigsite personnel and management.
• Capability to distill and simplify complex technical issues for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated stakeholder management skills, including effective engagement with joint venture partners and service providers.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams, including subsurface, wells, and operations functions.
• Experience in coordinating activities between the Remote Operations Centre (ROC), rigsite, and global technical experts.
• Strong analytical capability, including root cause analysis and structured problem-solving.
• Ability to conduct systematic troubleshooting of operational challenges such as losses, stuck pipe, and well control events.
• Commitment to data-driven decision-making and performance optimization

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.