PPFG & Geomechanics Specialist

Entity:

Production & Operations

Job Family Group:

Subsurface Group

Job Description:

The Western Hemisphere Pore Pressure and Geomechanics teams are seeking a Pore Pressure / Geomechanics Specialist to join the team in Houston and support bp’s ambitious strategy in the Gulf of America.

The successful candidate will support well planning and execution across bp’s brownfield and greenfield developments, appraisal, and exploration activities, while collaborating with global PPFG and Geomechanics teams.

This role is an integral part of cross-disciplinary well delivery teams, providing support for well planning and execution through the development of geologically sound and compliant pore pressure, fracture pressure, and wellbore stability models. The specialist will contribute throughout all phases of well planning, including:

• Early concept development
• Detailed well planning
• Execution support
• Post-well analysis

During execution, the specialist will collaborate with the Real-Time Operations Center on pressure detection efforts and work closely with subsurface, drilling, and completions teams to safely and effectively execute wells.

Key Accountabilities

Pore Pressure & Fracture Pressure Forecasting

• Integrate multiple indicators and observations of pressure and fracture gradients within a geological framework to generate pre-drill PPFG forecasts.
• Use:
  • Seismic velocity pressure analysis
  • Offset well data
  • Measured pressures
  • Connection gases
  • Log-derived shale pressures
  • Basin models
  • Mini-frac/leak-off tests
  • Lost circulation events
  • Reservoir depletion impacts
  • Lithology variations
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to optimize:
  • Drilling fluid type and weight
  • Casing string design
  • Casing setting depths
  • Geo-hazard mitigation strategies
• Communicate technical findings, risks, and mitigation plans to:
  • Drilling teams
  • Operations teams
  • Leadership
  • Co-owners
  • Government regulators

Operational Support

• Provide operational support for pore pressure detection on complex development and exploration wells.
• Collaborate with the Remote Operations Center on:
  • Real-time model calibration
  • Kick analysis
  • Gas and breathing analysis
  • Loss investigations
  • Formation integrity test interpretation
• Update PPFG models during drilling operations and recommend:
  • Mud weight adjustments
  • Drilling strategy modifications
  • Potential pressure point locations

Other Accountabilities

Drilling Geomechanics Support

• Develop wellbore strengthening models and implementation plans for drilling through depleted reservoirs.
• Contribute to wellbore stability models and minimum mud weight recommendations.
• Analyze and integrate data from:
  • Log data
  • Drilling data
  • Cavings analysis
  • Image logs
  • Caliper logs

Additional Responsibilities

• Contribute to:
  • Reservoir design and operating limits
  • Broaching analyses
  • Zonal isolation assessments
  • Alternate well designs
  • Abandonment deviation/risk assessments
• Participate in risk assessments related to:
  • PPFG
  • Zonal isolation
  • Broaching risks
• Participate in subsurface-related non-productive time (NPT) analyses.
• Support development and implementation of PPFG and Geomechanics toolkits.
• Represent bp externally at industry meetings and JIPs.

Essential Education

• University degree in Engineering, Science, Geoscience, Geomechanics, Mathematics or equivalent experience.

Essential Criteria

• Relevant oilfield experience in drilling PPFG/geomechanics with an operator or service company.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex technical concepts for diverse collaborators.
• Ability to work optimally across multidisciplinary teams and competing priorities.
• Familiarity with:
  • PPFG
  • Geomechanics
  • Drilling operations
  • Subsurface aspects of well planning and execution

Desirable Qualifications

• Previous PPFG experience with an operator, preferably in deepwater Gulf of America wells.
• Experience in:
  • Wellbore stability
  • Formation pressure integrity testing
• Strong geology and geophysics background.
• Experience generating pre-drill PPFG forecasts for offshore development and exploration wells.
• Awareness of:
  • Petrophysics
  • Basin modeling
  • Processing geophysics
  • Reservoir geomechanics
  • Drilling engineering
  • Rig systems
  • Well control
• Software and coding proficiency in:
  • VBA
  • Python
  • Techlog
  • Petrel

Why join us

At bp, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and ambitious environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.

There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits ( https://exploreyourbenefits.com/landing.html) to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, and excellent retirement benefits, among others!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Travel Requirement

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

This role is not eligible for relocation

Remote Type:

This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills:

Basin resource evaluation, Basin resource evaluation, CO2 utilisation and storage, Core acquisition and analysis, Cost-conscious decision-making, Data acquisition strategy, Data Management, Depositional framework, Fluid Properties, Fluid sampling and analysis, Geodesy and coordinate integrity, Geohazard Assessment, Geomechanical analysis, Integrated Well Delivery, Operations Geology, Petroleum Systems Analysis, Petrophysical Dynamic Reservoir Description, Petrophysical Seismic Lithology and Fluid Prediction, Petrophysical Static Reservoir Description, PPFG detection, Research and Development, Reservoir geomechanics, Reservoir quality, Seismic Interpretation, Seismic stratigraphic interpretation {+ 6 more}

Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics like race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.