Senior Reservoir Engineer - Oil and Gas Exploration

Placements24; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Expat benefits

Performance bonus

Private medical coverage

Retirement savings plan

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24, on behalf of a prominent international energy company, seeks a Senior Reservoir Engineer for Centurion, Gauteng. The role focuses on reservoir characterization, dynamic modeling, and depletion optimization.

You will lead technical initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with geoscientists, drilling, and production teams to maximize asset value. Strong EOR and uncertainty analysis are required.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Petroleum Engineering or closely related field.
• 10+ years of experience in reservoir engineering across exploration and development phases.
• Experience with reservoir simulation software (ECLIPSE, Tempest, Petrel RE).
• Expertise in reservoir characterization, fluid flow analysis, and uncertainty assessment.
• Strong understanding of geological concepts and petrophysical data interpretation.
• Experience with well test analysis and production logging interpretation.
• Familiarity with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Characterize reservoirs using geological, petrophysical and engineering data.
• Develop and maintain dynamic reservoir simulation models.
• Conduct material balance and decline curve analysis.
• Optimize production strategies including well placement and EOR methods.
• Prepare reservoir management plans and economic evaluations.
• Collaborate with geoscientists, drilling and production engineers.
• Analyze production data and well performance for optimization.
• Contribute to reserve reporting and resource estimation.
• Mentor junior reservoir engineers and share expertise.
• Present findings to management and technical committees.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication skills

Independent worker

Leadership

Education

Master's degree in Petroleum Engineering

PhD in Petroleum Engineering

Tools

ECLIPSE

Tempest

Petrel RE

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent international energy company with significant exploration activities, is seeking an experienced and highly analytical Senior Reservoir Engineer to join their South African operations based in Centurion, Gauteng . This critical role will involve managing and optimizing the hydrocarbon recovery from existing and potential new reservoirs. The successful candidate will be responsible for detailed reservoir characterization, performance analysis, production forecasting, and the development of optimal depletion strategies. This position requires a deep understanding of reservoir engineering principles, advanced simulation techniques, and the ability to integrate geological, petrophysical, and production data. You will play a key role in maximizing asset value and ensuring sustainable production. The opportunity offers significant scope for technical leadership and strategic input in a challenging exploration and production environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform detailed reservoir characterization using geological, petrophysical, and engineering data.
• Develop and maintain dynamic reservoir simulation models to predict reservoir performance and test various development scenarios.
• Conduct material balance calculations and decline curve analysis.
• Optimize production strategies, including well placement, injection schemes, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods.
• Prepare reservoir management plans and economic evaluations for development projects.
• Collaborate closely with geoscientists, drilling engineers, and production engineers to ensure integrated field development.
• Analyze production data and well performance to identify opportunities for optimization.
• Contribute to reserve reporting and resource estimation.
• Mentor junior reservoir engineers and share technical expertise.
• Present findings and recommendations to management and technical committees.

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Petroleum Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in reservoir engineering, with a strong background in exploration and development phases.
• Proven experience with reservoir simulation software (e.g., ECLIPSE, Tempest, Petrel RE).
• Expertise in reservoir characterization, fluid flow analysis, and uncertainty assessment.
• Strong understanding of geological concepts and petrophysical data interpretation.
• Experience with well test analysis and production logging interpretation.
• Familiarity with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and lead technical initiatives.
• Experience in unconventional reservoirs is a plus.
• Must be eligible to work in Centurion, Gauteng and able to work remotely with occasional site visits if required.

Benefits

Our client offers an attractive, highly competitive salary package designed to attract top talent, potentially including expatriate benefits if applicable. This is complemented by a generous performance-based bonus structure. Comprehensive health and wellness benefits are provided, including private medical coverage, disability insurance, and a robust retirement savings plan. Significant investment is made in employee development through advanced technical training, professional certifications, and opportunities to attend international conferences. The role provides exposure to cutting-edge reservoir management technologies and complex geological challenges. Employees benefit from a flexible working policy and a stimulating, multicultural work environment within a globally recognized organization.