Senior MPD Operations & Technical Advisor

Valaris Limited; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A global energy company based in Houston is seeking a Principal Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) Advisor. The role requires a Bachelor's degree and at least ten years of offshore experience in MPD and well construction. You'll provide technical support, evaluate compliance with MPD practices, and conduct site visits. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential. This position will require frequent travel and a commitment to safety and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Minimum of ten (10) years of MPD experience in offshore well construction.
• Understanding of offshore drilling rigs operations.
• Supervisor Level Well Control certification required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support across departments for MPD issues.
• Evaluate client drilling plans for compliance.
• Conduct MPD oversight activities, including site visits.

Skills

Managed Pressure Drilling expertise

Communication skills

Teamwork

Conflict resolution

Ability to multi-task

Leadership skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

The MPD Superintendent provides expert support with respect to Managed Pressure Drilling operations, including but not limited to: Surface Back Pressure (SBP), Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD) and Controlled Mud Line (CML). Acts as an internal independent Technical Authority for Managed Pressure Drilling matters related to well operations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

General

Fulfills role as internal Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) subject matter expert and advisor

Evaluates deviations from Valaris MPD corporate Procedures and associated documents

Works with internal and external stakeholders (including clients and industry bodies) to deliver competitive MPD operations that differentiate the company from its competitors

Supports standardization of Well Technology solutions aiming to deliver safe, industry leading performance at the lowest practical total cost of ownership

Technical and Operational

Provides technical support to Operations and other departments in the company with respect to MPD related issues, including Management of Change (MOC) process, risk assessments, bridging documents, investigations etc.

Where required, reviews and assesses client's MPD drilling plans/well design basis, and risk assessments to ensure compliance, regulatory, industry and client requirements

Supports Operations with MPD performance reviews and process improvements to better support the needs of the customer (incl. KPI definition, monitoring and continuous improvement)

Supports MPD related incidents and investigations to identify “lessons learned”, assess the effectiveness of the Valaris MPD procedures, and evaluate whether any changes to the procedures are warranted

Compiles and distributes “lessons learned” reports and develop & implement any necessary changes to the corporate MPD procedures

Represents the company in discussions with clients regarding MPD issues, activities, problems, etc.

Participates in the after-action review (AAR) with key stakeholders

Conducts and participates in MPD oversight activities, including offshore site visits

Assists with the development and implementation of MPD competency and training process

Responsible for continuing education so as to remain current on:

Existing and emerging Well Technology solutions

Associated regulatory developments

Supports Engineering with theEngineering review process for Well Technology related rig modifications or upgrades

Supports Well Technology vendors audits as appropriate (min. 2-yearly)

Standards and Documentations

Maintains of the company’s MPD corporate procedures and associated documents

Supports Operations and Waste Information Management system (WIMs) team in creating and maintaining WIMs global content for relevant operations

In conjunction with Training and Competence, the department supports develops of relevant training and competence material

Supports Reliability and Maintenance Systems to create, maintain and audit the implementation of relevant maintenance strategies

Monitor and implement where appropriate technologies, industry standards and industry best practices

Participate and represent the Company in industry standards setting organizations/committees such as ABS, IADC and API and also at meetings with government agencies such as BSEE, USCG, DOI, etc.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university and/or formal development training with practical experience in the design and construction of offshore MPD wells both deepwater (subsea BOP’s) and shelf (surface BOP’s)

A minimum of ten (10) years of MPD experience in offshore well construction and design

Understanding of the operations of all types of offshore drilling rigs

Extensive experience in the use of (and preferably development of) MPD drilling technics for well construction

Supervisor Level Well Control certification and range of formal Advanced Well Control and Unconventional Drilling Technology training

Offshore survival and medical certificates as mandated by government regulations are required

Skills & Experience

Deep knowledge, skills and experience to act as an internal advisor and subject matter expert in MPD matters

Demonstrably strong background with deep understanding in managed pressure drilling and other non-conventional offshore drilling technologies

Ability to multi-task and establish priorities

Availability and willingness to travel to such locations and with such frequency as the employer determines is necessary or desirable to meet its business needs

Committed to a high standard of safety and to comply with all safety laws and all of the employer’s safety policies and rules. Must be willing to report safety violations and potential safety violations to appropriate supervisory or management personnel

Effective communication, teamwork and organizational skills. Good interpersonal skills

Excellent conflict resolution skills and be able to diplomatically and constructively handle confrontation

Exercise sound judgments and make decisions in a manner consistent with the essential job functions

Maintain flexible attitude and approach towards assignments and successfully operate under ambiguous guidelines

Maintain regular and acceptable attendance at such level as is determined in the employer’s sole discretion

Perform duties onsite, except those job duties which are customarily or by their nature performed offsite (such as off-site meetings with customers at their request or for marketing purposes, making deliveries to designated destinations, traveling to field offices to meet with superiors/peers/subordinates or attend/conduct training, etc )

Work effectively alone or as part of a team on projects

Demonstrated creativity, innovation, imagination and patience

Management skill to supervise a worldwide team onshore and offshore

Behaviors

As part of our commitment to fostering a high-performance culture, employees are expected to align their actions and decisions with the principles outlined in our Behavioral Framework. This framework serves as the foundation for our organizational culture and guides our behaviors to drive better outcomes across the company. Employees are responsible for incorporating these behaviors into their daily actions, relationships, and decision-making to help manage expectations, strengthen relationships, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

Our five behaviors that define our culture are:

Analyze & Plan – Being deliberate in understanding and describing the problem to solve and using information from a range of relevant sources to develop solutions that are effective and evidence-based.

Collaborate– Collaborating effectively, sharing ideas, and leveraging one another’s strengths based on trust, transparency, and empathy, creating an environment where everyone’s input is valued.

Communicate – Communicate clearly with all employees and stakeholders, ensuring active listening, understanding, and timely information sharing.

Learn, Grow & Adapt – Building organizational capability through our own learning and development while coaching others and supporting others to adapt, learn, and develop.

Deliver Results – Striving to deliver and exceed required results, identifying and overcoming obstacles, and taking responsibility for the outcome while respecting our values.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Valaris is an equal opportunity employer in all aspects of employment to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation or any other non- job related factors.

Valaris is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application process. If you need such an accommodation, or a religious accommodation, please contact

At Valaris, our core purpose is to provide responsible solutions that deliver energy to the world. Our purpose is the driving force that defines us as a leading organization in our industry. Our diverse fleet of ultra-deepwater drillships, versatile semisubmersibles and modern shallow-water jackups is capable of meeting a wide spectrum of customers’ well program requirements. Our rig fleet is among the most technologically advanced in the industry and our well-trained crews perform at the highest levels in the most challenging offshore environments. With an unwavering focus on safety and dedicated employees, we provide innovative solutions and aim to deliver excellence in everything that we do.