Senior Drilling Engineer: Complex Well Design (On-Site)

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Performance incentives

Professional development opportunities

Career progression

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Drilling Engineer with expertise in complex well design for on-site operations in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, ZA. Lead planning, execution, and optimization of challenging drilling projects, coordinating with geologists, reservoir engineers, and HSE teams.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years in drilling, with proficiency in drilling software and MPD/UBD techniques. A hands-on leader capable of managing risk is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering.
• 8+ years of drilling engineering experience with emphasis on complex well design.
• Experience designing/executing horizontal, extended reach, or deepwater wells.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed drilling programs and well designs for complex trajectories and challenging formations.
• Perform wellbore stability analysis, torque and drag calculations, and anti-collision analyses.
• Plan and execute MPD and underbalanced drilling operations where applicable.
• Identify and mitigate drilling risks and develop contingency plans.
• Select drilling fluids, bits, and equipment to optimize drilling performance.
• Supervise drilling operations and provide technical guidance to crews and service providers.
• Conduct post-drilling analysis, lessons learned, and performance reviews.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of drilling procedures and technologies.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Petroleum/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

WellPlan

StressCheck

Compass

Resource

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Drilling Engineer with expertise in complex well design for on-site operations in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, ZA. Lead planning, execution, and optimization of challenging drilling projects, coordinating with geologists, reservoir engineers, and HSE teams.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years in drilling, with proficiency in drilling software and MPD/UBD techniques. A hands-on leader capable of managing risk is essential.