Reservoir Engineer - Planning & Development

Blackbeard Operating, LLC; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackbeard Operating, LLC seeks a Reservoir Engineer to support development planning and operations across its Central Basin Platform assets. This role emphasizes maximizing returns on development capital through rigorous analysis, disciplined execution, and clear communication with geologists, drilling, and operations teams.

You will lead economic analyses, design development tests, translate insights into development plans, and maintain capital allocation models.

Qualifications

• BS in Petroleum Engineering or related discipline.
• 5–10 years of reservoir engineering experience with exposure to both development and operational assets.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and ComboCurve; experience with ARIES, AFE Navigator, Petra, Carte, Power BI, or Spotfire preferred.
• Experience with Python or SQL for data analysis is a plus.
• Strong understanding of production analysis, decline and type curve modeling, pressure/transient analysis, and economic evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Lead well-level and program-level economic analysis using ComboCurve, Excel, and internal tools.
• Design and evaluate development tests (spacing, stagger, completion design) and well and pad lookbacks; quantify results and incorporate them into type curves, inventory, and development sequencing.
• Generate and translate reservoir insights (spacing, completions, type curves, and EUR degradation) into actionable development plans.
• Maintain and update capital allocation models to ensure optimal sequencing and project prioritization.
• Partner with the drilling and operations teams to stay ahead of the rig schedule and maintain steady program execution.
• Support AFE generation, budget forecasting, and monthly capital reporting using AFE Navigator and Power BI.
• Track actual versus planned well performance, costs, and economics to identify areas for improvement.
• Communicate performance metrics and development updates clearly to management and cross-functional teams.
• Work closely with the Reservoir Performance & Modeling team to integrate analytical insights into planning and execution.
• Coordinate with geologists to ensure development plans align with geological interpretation and reservoir quality.
• Collaborate with drilling and completions engineers to optimize well designs, schedules, and cost efficiency.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Reservoir group and Operations for development planning workflows.
• Work with the regulatory department to ensure wells are permitted appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with the infrastructure team to stake well locations.
• Maintain organized, repeatable workflows to support capital planning and reserves updates.
• Identify opportunities to streamline data integration and reporting processes across systems.
• Contribute to regular business reviews and present development progress to management.

Skills

Reservoir engineering

Development planning

Project economics

Excel

ComboCurve

ARIES

AFE Navigator

Petra

Carte

Power BI

Spotfire

Python/SQL

Education

B.S. in Petroleum Engineering

Tools

Excel

ComboCurve

ARIES

AFE Navigator

Petra

Carte

Power BI

Spotfire

Job description

Summary

Blackbeard Operating, LLC is seeking a Reservoir Engineer to support our ongoing development planning and operations across our Central Basin Platform (Permian Basin) assets. Much of our development work on the Central Basin Platform has not been attempted elsewhere, so the playbook is still being written, and this engineer will help write it. This role will focus on maximizing returns on development capital through thoughtful planning, disciplined execution, and effective communication across teams. The position requires strong technical and analytical fundamentals, excellent coordination skills, and the ability to generate analytical insights and translate them into clear, actionable development strategies.

This engineer will work closely with the Reservoir Performance & Modeling team, geologists, and drilling and operations engineers to ensure development programs are technically sound, economically optimized, and executed efficiently. The role offers a unique opportunity to help shape the company’s development planning framework and drive value through rigorous, data-informed decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Development Planning and Capital Allocation
  • Lead well-level and program-level economic analysis using ComboCurve, Excel, and internal tools.
  • Design and evaluate development tests (spacing, stagger, completion design) and well and pad lookbacks; quantify results and incorporate them into type curves, inventory, and development sequencing.
  • Generate and translate reservoir insights (spacing, completions, type curves, and EUR degradation) into actionable development plans.
  • Maintain and update capital allocation models to ensure optimal sequencing and project prioritization.
  • Partner with the drilling and operations teams to stay ahead of the rig schedule and maintain steady program execution.
• Economic Evaluation and Reporting
  • Support AFE generation, budget forecasting, and monthly capital reporting using AFE Navigator and Power BI.
  • Track actual versus planned well performance, costs, and economics to identify areas for improvement.
  • Communicate performance metrics and development updates clearly to management and cross-functional teams.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with the Reservoir Performance & Modeling team to integrate analytical insights into planning and execution.
  • Coordinate with geologists to ensure development plans align with geological interpretation and reservoir quality.
  • Collaborate with drilling and completions engineers to optimize well designs, schedules, and cost efficiency.
  • Serve as the primary liaison between the Reservoir group and Operations for development planning workflows.
  • Work with the regulatory department to ensure wells are permitted appropriately and in a timely manner.
  • Collaborate with the infrastructure team to stake well locations.
• Process Management and Continuous Improvement
  • Maintain organized, repeatable workflows to support capital planning and reserves updates.
  • Identify opportunities to streamline data integration and reporting processes across systems.
  • Contribute to regular business reviews and present development progress to management.

Knowledge, Skill, and Attributes

• Strong understanding of reservoir engineering principles, field development planning, and project economics.
• Detail-oriented and process-driven, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and consistency.
• Strong communicator who can clearly translate technical and economic information for management and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborative team player who builds trust across disciplines and helps maintain alignment between planning and execution.
• Proactive, steady executor who anticipates upcoming needs and stays ahead of operational timelines.
• Analytically curious: asks why wells perform the way they do, builds the analysis to find out, and adapts as new data and learnings emerge.
• Comfortable using AI tools (e.g., Claude) to accelerate analysis, automate routine workflows, and explore data, while applying the engineering judgment to validate the results.

What Success Looks Like

• Capital programs are executed smoothly and predictably, with minimal schedule disruptions.
• Development plans consistently reflect the latest technical and economic understanding.
• Test results and lookbacks measurably improve type curves, spacing decisions, and inventory ranking.
• The Reservoir and Operations teams are aligned on priorities and timelines.
• Management has clear visibility into capital performance and returns.
• The engineer is seen as a reliable, communicative partner who balances rigor with pragmatism.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Petroleum Engineering or related discipline.
• 5-10 years of reservoir engineering experience with exposure to both development and operational assets.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and ComboCurve; experience with ARIES, AFE Navigator, Petra, Carte, Power BI, or Spotfire preferred.
• Experience with Python or SQL for data analysis is a plus.
• Strong understanding of production analysis, decline and type curve modeling, pressure/transient analysis, and economic evaluation.
• Experience integrating completion design, spacing, and petrophysical data into performance analysis.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and drive results in a fast-paced environment.