Senior Operations Geologist

Job Summary:

Act as Lead Operations Geologist in the implementation of Company development, appraisal, and exploration drilling programmes. Act as a liaison with full coordination between the Well Planning and Delivery, G&G, and Drilling teams, while providing operational geological support, planning input, and oversight of data acquisition, wellsite activities, and geological reporting.

Key Responsibilities:

Internal Planning, Communication & Reporting

• Liaise with the Drilling Department on well plan and programme.
• Discuss data acquisition requirements (logging, coring, testing) to enable planning of equipment.
• Prepare and discuss a comprehensive logging and coring programme as per data acquisition requirements a month before operations commence.
• Follow up on the status of specific external analyses/studies required for operational decision-making on the well.
• Participate in well planning activities with a view to generating well prognoses, well decision trees, etc.
• Review and update prognoses as information becomes available; make correlations.
• Validate the accuracy of well data (formation, depths and coordinates) before passing it on to G&G.
• Verify the accuracy of data transmitted from the wellsite before distribution internally or to partners.
• Distribute relevant information and drilling updates on a daily basis.
• Liaise with the drilling and testing engineer to ensure correct perforation.
• Provide new well information to the G&G group to enable updates of existing models or maps which may impact the drilling plan.
• Timely issuance of Geological End of Well Reports. Liaise with government bodies, partners, and other companies.

Well-Site Planning and Daily Operations

• Plan and coordinate logistics of logging and coring operations, including on-site supervision and monitoring of drilling progress for all wells.
• Prepare and participate in pre-spud/section meetings.
• Organize scope of work and contracts for mudloggers/data engineers and wellsite geologists, and participate in the selection of Mudlogging and Wellsite Geology contractors to ensure best service.
• Conduct pre-job meetings to inform contractors of logging, coring, and data acquisition programmes, to communicate well objectives, plan equipment/personnel, and identify potential problems.
• Participate in well planning with contractors and the drilling department to ensure well objectives are met.
• Supervise/liaise with Wellsite Geologists, Data Engineers, and Wireline Logging, Coring, Mudlogging, and LWD contractors, and provide quality control of services.
• Assist in training Wellsite Geologists to improve competence and overall communication.
• Arrange schedules and monitor crew changes of wellsite geologists and mudloggers/data engineers.
• Ensure mudloggers and wellsite geologists are aware of detailed logging requirements.
• Attend and participate in the daily morning call with the rig and liaise with the drilling department as required.

Recording & Controls

• Ensure all data are fully recorded, QA/QC-ed, and archived correctly for later use in the appropriate data management system, including lessons learned.
• Support the well AFE and budgeting process.
• Audit wireline logging, mudlogging, and wellsite geologist invoices to ensure correctness for payment.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• Ensure all data are fully recorded, QA/QC-ed, and archived correctly for later use in the appropriate data management system, including lessons learned
• Degree in Petroleum Geology, preferably a Master's degree (MSc).
• 20+ years of direct Operations Geology experience, covering geosteering, wellsite geology, and full-cycle operational geological support.
• Strong background in drilling exploration, development, horizontal, directional, HTHP, and EOR wells across multiple international operations.
• Extensive experience working in both carbonate and clastic reservoirs in the Middle East region.
• Significant exposure to Kurdistan operations, supporting geological planning, drilling operations, and data integration.
• Skilled in designing and reviewing LWD/MWD and open-hole logging programs, tender evaluations, and quality control of data acquisition.
• Proven experience supervising wireline logging, mudlogging, wellsite geology, and data engineering activities.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare and deliver well proposals, geological programmes, end-of-well reports, and composite logs.
• Hands-on experience with geosteering and geological software, including Geolog, RMS, and other industry platforms.
• Kurdistan operational carbonate geology experience is required.