Fluids Superintendent

Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC); Sharjah; On-site; AED 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) seeks a Fluids Superintendent to lead drilling and completion fluids programs in Sharjah. You will ensure HSE-compliant operations, coordinate with service providers, optimize well performance and control costs while minimising non-productive time.

The role requires a strong background in drilling fluids, cementing, solids-control, and waste management, plus extensive field experience in MPD operations and harsh environments. UAE experience is essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of industry experience in drilling fluids, solids control, and waste management.
• UAE experience required; MPD experience preferred.
• Experience with HSE standards and operational risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement drilling fluids programs aligned with best practices.
• Coordinate fluids, cementing, solids-control, and waste-management activities.
• Prepare scopes of work for fluids, cement slurries, equipment, and services.
• Monitor KPIs, costs, and non-productive time; report findings.
• Mentor junior staff and ensure HSE compliance across operations.

Skills

Drilling fluids chemistry

Rheology

MPD operations

Well-control

Cementing operations

Project coordination

Vendor management

Waste management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, or related discipline

Three-year technical diploma in Earth Sciences or equivalent

Tools

MI-SWACO ONETRAX ECCP

VCCP hydraulic simulations

OPTIBRIDGE

Job description

Job Title: Fluids Superintendent

Department: Drilling & Completions

Location: Sharjah, UAE

Job Purpose

The Fluids Superintendent is responsible for ensuring that all drilling and completion fluids activities comply with operational, HSE, environmental, and quality standards. The role oversees the implementation of fluids programs and coordinates activities between SNOC’s drilling team, service companies, and vendors to optimise well performance, reduce costs, and minimise non-productive time.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, technically justify, and independently implement drilling fluids programs in line with industry best practices and international recommended practices.
• Coordinate drilling and completion fluids, cementing, solids-control, and waste-management activities.
• Prepare scopes of work for drilling and completion fluids, cement slurries, equipment, materials, and services.
• Participate in tender preparation, technical bid evaluations, vendor assessments, and technical negotiations.
• Monitor fluids-related operational performance, costs, KPIs, and non-productive time.
• Prepare complete end-of-section and end-of-well recaps, including costs, performance results, and lessons learned.
• Review drilling fluids reports, product inventories, delivery tickets, credit tickets, and wellsite consumption.
• Track and maintain sufficient weighting material for well-control requirements.
• Interpret drilling fluids test results and recommend appropriate technical actions.
• Recommend solutions to prevent or address lost circulation, contamination, hole-cleaning issues, shale instability, stuck pipe, and other drilling challenges.
• Provide technical recommendations on flow rates, rheology, low-shear-rate viscosity, RPM, ROP, solids content, and overall hole-cleaning efficiency.
• Support cementing operations, including displacement activities, slurry evaluations, cementing programs, and operational supervision.
• Supervise or support Liquid Mud Plant activities, including troubleshooting and operational optimisation.
• Ensure laboratory equipment is calibrated and drilling fluids testing is conducted in accordance with API standards and international recommended practices.
• Manage or supervise wellsite teams, including Mud Engineers, Cementers, and Solids-Control personnel.
• Communicate operational risks, findings, and upcoming challenges clearly to wellsite and office-based drilling teams.
• Mentor and train personnel while promoting continuous improvement and strong HSE performance.
• Participate in risk assessments, including HARC and JSA, before relevant jobs and activities.
• Provide operational support during and outside normal working hours when required, including during cementing operations, severe losses, stuck-pipe events, and other critical activities.
• Ensure compliance with SNOC’s Quality, HSE, IT, information-protection, and environmental requirements.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, or a related discipline. A three-year technical diploma in Earth Sciences or an equivalent qualification may also be considered.
• Minimum of 12 years of industry experience in drilling fluids, solids control, and waste management.
• UAE experience is required.
• International experience involving MPD operations and severe-to-total losses is preferred.
• At least two years of experience working in remote drilling locations involving H₂S risks and mud densities above 14 ppg.
• Strong experience with SOBM, HPWBM, tight-filtrate non-aqueous drilling fluids, conventional polymer-based WBM, and completion fluids.
• Extensive cementing planning and operational experience.
• Proven experience managing total losses, stuck pipe, reaming, back reaming, hole instability, extreme geomechanical stresses, and MPD drilling.
• Experience in ITT preparation, technical evaluations, and vendor negotiations.
• Previous experience working directly with SNOC would be an advantage.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of drilling fluids chemistry, solids calculations, rheology, hydraulics, and hole-cleaning principles.
• Knowledge of cement slurry design, laboratory-testing methods, cement additives, and cementing operations.
• Strong understanding of well-control principles, loss-circulation procedures, and MPD operations.
• Ability to formulate and laboratory-test SOBM, HPWBM, and conventional polymer-based WBM.
• Experience assessing lost-circulation treatments using PPA, Sand Bed Testing, or equivalent methods.
• Knowledge of solids-control equipment, waste-management systems, and environmentally compliant disposal methods.
• Familiarity with drilling-fluid products and systems from major service providers.
• Proficiency in MI-SWACO ONETRAX ECCP, VCCP hydraulic simulations, and OPTIBRIDGE is preferred.
• Ability to extract and analyse information from OpenWells or an equivalent wellsite reporting system.
• Knowledge of Liquid Mud Plant operations, maintenance scheduling, and inventory management.
• Strong technical writing, presentation, reporting, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Effective leadership, mentoring, stakeholder-management, and vendor-management skills.
• Ability to balance operational quality, technical performance, and cost optimisation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

HSE Responsibilities

• Demonstrate full commitment to SNOC’s HSE policies, procedures, and safety initiatives.
• Ensure all onsite fluids personnel use the required personal protective equipment and maintain valid HSE and technical certifications.
• Participate in emergency-response duties and related training when required.
• Take proactive measures to prevent pollution and ensure compliance with SNOC and UAE environmental requirements.