Senior Drilling Engineer

Main Duties and Responsibilities: • Prepare detailed drilling programmes for upcoming wells using established field practices and offset-well experience. • Develop well trajectories and directional drilling plans using COMPASS. • Perform drilling engineering calculations and modelling using WELLPLAN, including hydraulics, ECD, torque and drag, and hole-cleaning assessments. • Develop casing, drilling fluids, cementing, BHA and directional drilling requirements in conjunction with the relevant technical disciplines and service companies. • Review offset-well performance, NPT, drilling problems and lessons learned and incorporate relevant improvements into new well plans. • Prepare drilling time estimates, operational sequences and engineering input to well cost estimates. • Ensure planned operations are practical and consistent with rig and service-company capabilities. • Prepare and review technical scopes for drilling-related equipment and services as required. • Participate in drilling programme reviews, DWOPs and operational planning sessions. • Provide engineering support during drilling operations, including calculations, troubleshooting and technical recommendations. • Support the onboarding and preparation of an additional drilling rig for the upcoming drilling programme. • Work closely with the drilling contractor and service companies to ensure equipment, services and personnel are ready for operations. • Review rig equipment and operating capabilities against planned well requirements. • Coordinate drilling engineering and operational interfaces between the rig and third-party service companies. • Support rig readiness, pre-spud, and operational planning activities. • Ensure established company drilling practices, procedures, and lessons learned are incorporated into preparations for the new rig. Requirements: • Minimum of 15 years of drilling engineering and drilling operations experience. • Minimum of 7 years with a major international operator or large independent oil and gas operator. • Strong experience in detailed well planning and preparation of drilling programmes. • Extensive working knowledge of Halliburton Landmark COMPASS and WELLPLAN. • Strong practical knowledge of well trajectory and directional drilling planning; torque and drag; drilling hydraulics and ECD; casing and cementing; drilling fluids; BHA selection; hole cleaning; and drilling performance and NPT reduction. • Demonstrated ability to use offset-well information and lessons learned to efficiently plan subsequent wells. • Experience working directly with drilling contractors and oilfield service companies. • Strong understanding of land-rig drilling operations. • Ability to work independently and manage multiple engineering activities. • Fluent in written and spoken English. • Engineering degree or equivalent relevant technical qualification. • Preferred: Previous experience in Kurdistan or the wider Middle East; land-rig mobilisation, onboarding and start-up; multi-well drilling campaigns; established fields with proven well designs and operating practices; and a combination of office-based drilling engineering and field operational experience. • Practical and delivery-focused, with the ability to become productive quickly. • Capable of taking established well designs, offset data, and existing field practices and efficiently developing complete drilling programmes for upcoming wells. • Focused on detailed well planning and execution rather than developing new engineering philosophies or redesigning established practices. • Comfortable working directly with drilling contractors and service companies to support the introduction of an additional rig into an established drilling operation. • The role is based in Dubai, UAE, with travel to Kurdistan as required. The approved outsourced contract duration is three months. Working Conditions: Five days a week, Monday to Friday. Only qualified candidates will be contacted. • Minimum of 15 years of drilling engineering and drilling operations experience. • Minimum of 7 years with a major international operator or large independent oil and gas operator. • Strong experience in detailed well planning and preparation of drilling programmes. • Extensive working knowledge of Halliburton Landmark COMPASS and WELLPLAN. • Strong practical knowledge of well trajectory and directional drilling planning; torque and drag; drilling hydraulics and ECD; casing and cementing; drilling fluids; BHA selection; hole cleaning; and drilling performance and NPT reduction. • Demonstrated ability to use offset-well information and lessons learned to efficiently plan subsequent wells. • Experience working directly with drilling contractors and oilfield service companies. • Strong understanding of land-rig drilling operations. • Ability to work independently and manage multiple engineering activities. • Fluent in written and spoken English. • Engineering degree or equivalent relevant technical qualification. • Preferred: Previous experience in Kurdistan or the wider Middle East; land-rig mobilisation, onboarding and start-up; multi-well drilling campaigns; established fields with proven well designs and operating practices; and a combination of office-based drilling engineering and field operational experience. • Practical and delivery-focused, with the ability to become productive quickly. • Capable of taking established well designs, offset data, and existing field practices and efficiently developing complete drilling programmes for upcoming wells. • Focused on detailed well planning and execution rather than developing new engineering philosophies or redesigning established practices. • Comfortable working directly with drilling contractors and service companies to support the introduction of an additional rig into an established drilling operation. • The role is based in Dubai, UAE, with travel to Kurdistan as required. The approved outsourced contract duration is three months.