Reservoir Engineering Manager / Petroleum Engineering Manager

Title:

Position Title: Reservoir Engineering Manager / Petroleum Engineering Manager

Department: Reservoir Management / Subsurface / Technical

Reports To:  Asset Manager / Technical Director

Location:  Basra, Iraq
Employment Type:  Full-time, Contract

Rotation:  28/28

Role Purpose

The Reservoir/Petroleum Engineering Manager leads the subsurface engineering discipline to maximize asset value through strategic reservoir management, production optimization, reserves assurance, and development planning. This role oversees multi-disciplinary teams, ensures technical excellence, and aligns engineering activities with corporate objectives for safe, reliable, and profitable hydrocarbon recovery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Reservoir Management & Field Development

• Lead reservoir surveillance, performance evaluation, and reservoir modelling activities.
• Direct the creation and updating of static and dynamic reservoir models.
• Oversee development plans, depletion strategies, reservoir stimulation programs, and IOR/EOR initiatives.
• Ensure optimization of production and recovery factors across assets.

2. Technical Leadership & Governance

• Provide technical assurance on reservoir engineering work, simulations, forecasts, and reserves estimates.
• Establish best practices, workflows, and standards across the reservoir engineering discipline.
• Guide and coach engineers, ensuring continuous capability development.

3. Production Optimization

• Oversee production forecasting, decline curve analysis, material balance, and nodal analysis.
• Collaborate with production and operations teams to diagnose well performance and propose interventions.
• Support short- and long-term hydrocarbon production strategies.

4. Reserves Management

• Manage annual reserves certification (1P/2P/3P) and SPE-PRMS compliance.
• Interface with internal and external auditors for reserves reporting.
• Ensure robust documentation and auditable technical justification.

5. Project & Asset Integration

• Collaborate closely with geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering, drilling, and operations teams.
• Provide subsurface input for well planning, workovers, and drilling campaigns.
• Evaluate project economics and support business planning and investment decisions.

6. Data & Technology

• Champion use of advanced reservoir management technologies, digital tools, and AI/ML integration.
• Oversee data quality assurance, interpretation, and integration into models.

7. HSE & Risk Management

• Ensure all activities comply with corporate HSE and regulatory standards.
• Lead subsurface risk assessments and ensure mitigation plans are in place.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, Reservoir Engineering, or related field (mandatory).
• Master’s degree or PhD in Petroleum/Reservoir Engineering (preferred).

Experience

• Typically 20+ years in reservoir or petroleum engineering.
• Minimum 5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Demonstrated experience with major oil & 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 reservoir simulation (e.g., Eclipse, tNavigator, CMG).
• Proficiency in production optimization tools (e.g., Prosper, GAP, MBAL).
• Strong reservoir surveillance and modelling capability.
• Solid understanding of well testing, pressure-transient analysis, and flow assurance.

Soft Skills

• Leadership and team development abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and strategic thinking skills.