The Drilling Operations Lead will be expected to assist the Well Engineering Manager in the management of operated and non-operated well operation activities.  The post holder will also be required to provide cover for the Wells Technical Authority, as well as carry out emergency well control responses, as required. 

The Drilling Operations Lead will have the following main duties and responsibilities:

• Responsible for technical support and influencing both operated and non-operated drilling operations and projects.
• Monitoring operations, ensuring safety incidents are investigated / closed-out and shared across asset / functional teams.
• Ensuring all NCRs are satisfactorily closed out with lessons learned captured and shared across asset / functional teams.
• Providing a weekly summary of operation (including non-ops) to the relevant Management Teams.
• Chairing, leading and issuing minutes for the bi-monthly drilling scheduling meeting.
• Performing offshore / harbour rig / vessel assurance visits, as required.
• Responsible for reviewing and technically assuring / signing off of drilling operational documentation, including:
• The Basis of Design for all wells.
• Reviewing / signing off all drilling programmes.
• Assuring the casing, wellhead and tree designs, and their compliance with policies, standards and procedures.
• Reviewing and assuring / signing off of all related MoC requests.
• Responsible for ensuring well activity compliance with Government regulations and standards.
• Assisting Well Engineering Manager in reviewing and technically assuring / signing off of all wells / drilling related cost estimates (i.e. scoping, budget, draft and final AFE). Will also be responsible for generating well cost estimates and operational programme details, as required.
• Responsible for managing the Well Delivery process and ensuring correct gates and assurance levels are applied and executed in a suitable time frame to meet project delivery dates. Updating schedule on regular basis and passing onto Project / Well Lead Team members, as well as Group Well Engineering and Decommissioning Manager.
• Responsible for wells contract management; through working with Well Engineering Manager and Completions Team Lead, reviewing and technically assuring the work scopes for all wells related contracts / ITTs etc. Assisting in reviewing technical content of bids and technically supporting the recommendations made.  Responsible, as the role of Technical lead / Contract Sponsor, for Tier One contracts. 
• Assisting the Well Engineering Manager in maintaining the Drilling / Well Engineering Team at the appropriate strength to manage on-going and planned future activity. This includes recruitment, competency assurance and development of any well engineering personnel through Casmax, Sawmax, IWCF etc.
• Covering as delegate for the Well Engineering Manager in the role of Wells Technical Authority for the well design, construction and abandonment phase. Liaising with the Completions and Well Integrity Team Lead to ensure seamless transition between the construction and operational phase.
• Providing cover for the Well Engineering Manager for all drilling related and other duties, as required, during absences through holiday, sickness etc. Also, assisting in covering for the Completions and Well Integrity Team Lead, as required.
• Collating and providing updates, on an annual basis, to the Well Engineering Management Standard (WEMS). Performing a gap analysis to ensure compliance between this document and relevant well gngineering processes and procedures.
• Updating and generating well engineering processes, procedures and guidelines, as required, to align with legislation, OGUK Guidelines etc.

Experience / Qualifications:

• A relevant Degree qualification is preferred.
• Applicants will be expected to hold IWCF Level 4 Drilling Well Control (Combined) certification.
• Current / valid offshore certification is preferred.
• Previous Wells Team Lead / Drilling Superintendent and Day Drilling Supervisor experience is essential.
• Extensive experience in drilling and well operations is essential.
• Previous experience in a similar role, directly with an oil and gas operator, is preferred.
• Previous experience of working as a Wells Technical Authority is preferred.
• A proven track record with the operational design, planning and executional delivery for exploration, appraisal and development wells is essential.
• Previous experience of working on, or managing, the Well Delivery process, which has encompassed project delivery milestone gate meetings, is essential.
• Previous experience with completions, workovers and well intervention is essential.
• Applicants will be expected to possess experience with drilling equipment, all rig types, well control situations and well kill equipment.
• Applicants will be expected to possess a sound working knowledge of drilling planning, casing / well design and well construction best practices.
• Applicants will be expected to possess experience of working on all different rig types across the North Sea, including semi-submersibles, jack ups, LWIVs and fixed platform operations. Experience of working with different types of wells is also preferred i.e. horizontal, sandscreens / gravel packs, well testing, exploration and development wells. 
• Well control experience and emergency response training is preferred.
• Applicants will be expected to hold strong networking relationships with other UK Operators, UK Regulators (OGA, Oil & Gas UK etc.), drilling contractors and service suppliers.
• Experience with Maximo is preferred.