Principal Production Engineer

Placements24; Southampton; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Randburg, Gauteng, seeks a highly experienced Principal Production Engineer to lead production optimization for oil & gas assets. The role focuses on maximizing hydrocarbon recovery, safe operations, and cost efficiency, with responsibility for strategy development and technical leadership.

The successful candidate will have deep expertise in artificial lift, wellbore hydraulics, and surface facilities, and will mentor junior engineers while guiding field development and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Petroleum Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in production engineering within the Oil & Gas industry.
• Extensive expertise in artificial lift design, operation, and troubleshooting.
• Strong understanding of wellbore hydraulics, fluid flow, and surface facility operations.
• Proven experience in production optimization, field development, and performance monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive production optimization strategies for oil and gas fields.
• Analyze production data, identify performance issues, and recommend solutions to maximize recovery.
• Oversee design and application of artificial lift systems (e.g., ESPs, gas lift, rod pumps).
• Troubleshoot complex production problems across wellbore, surface facilities and flow paths.
• Conduct nodal analysis and system modeling to optimize production throughput.
• Collaborate with reservoir, drilling and geoscience teams for integrated field development and planning.
• Manage production operations ensuring safety, environmental and regulatory compliance.
• Evaluate and implement new production technologies and techniques.
• Prepare production forecasts, budgets, and technical reports for management.
• Mentor and guide junior production engineers and staff.
• Lead technical reviews and provide expert input on production projects.

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a significant force in the Oil & Gas exploration and production sector, is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Principal Production Engineer to lead their production optimization efforts. Based in Randburg, Gauteng , this senior role is crucial for maximizing hydrocarbon recovery and ensuring the efficient, safe, and cost-effective operation of production assets. You will be responsible for developing and implementing advanced production strategies, optimizing well performance, and managing production challenges. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of production systems, artificial lift, wellbore flow, and surface facilities. This is an on-site position, requiring your full commitment to operational excellence and team leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive production optimization strategies for oil and gas fields.
• Analyze production data, identify performance issues, and recommend solutions to maximize recovery rates.
• Oversee the design, selection, and application of artificial lift systems (e.g., ESPs, gas lift, rod pumps).
• Troubleshoot complex production problems, including wellbore issues, surface facility constraints, and flow assurance challenges.
• Conduct nodal analysis and system modeling to optimize production throughput.
• Collaborate with reservoir engineers, drilling engineers, and geologists to ensure integrated field development and production planning.
• Manage production operations, ensuring compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Evaluate and implement new production technologies and techniques.
• Prepare production forecasts, budgets, and technical reports for management.
• Mentor and guide junior production engineers and technical staff.
• Lead technical reviews and provide expert input on production-related projects.
• Stay abreast of industry best practices and emerging trends in production engineering.

Requirements

• Requirements Bachelor's or Master's degree in Petroleum Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• A minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in production engineering within the Oil & Gas industry.
• Extensive expertise in artificial lift design, operation, and troubleshooting.
• Strong understanding of wellbore hydraulics, fluid flow, and surface facility operations.
• Proven experience in production optimization, field development, and performance monitoring.