Senior Explorationist

Role Purpose

As a proven prospect generator and hydrocarbon finder, extend prior capability and experience into success of Exploration activities within operated and non-operated blocks in Malaysia, both in Carbonate and Clastic. Lead technical evaluation to obtain all the necessary technical support for project execution. Provide technical leadership to define exploration prospects and ensure high quality geological evaluation and prospect generation. Conclude timely evaluations by providing key input and pursue closure of commercial assessment.

The Senior Explorationist must work effectively within an integrated team, maintaining open communications with peers and the Technical Assurance team, with a common sense of purpose. He/she should use their expertise to influence and impact peers, the Technical Assurance team and Joint Venture (JV) Partners, in addition to mentoring staff in geological aspects as appropriate. Roles at this level demonstrate strong technical leadership, commercial acumen, critical thinking abilities and show confidence in leading and executing assigned tasks.

Key Accountabilities

Policies, Systems, Processes & Procedures

• Recommend improvements to departmental procedure and direct the implementation of instructions and controls covering a specific area of geological activity so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements are fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.

PSC/Block Evaluation

• As a key technical evaluation team member/Technical Lead in Exploration, provide geological interpretations to assess the block potential in order to compile proposals to the Exploration Management for way forward which include well proposals, gas-holding, extension, and others.

Geological Evaluation & Interpretation

• Sound and demonstrable knowledge and skills in Carbonate and Clastic plays, preferably in Sarawak and Malaysia basins.
• Build, share, articulate and document coherent geological descriptions and models (e.g. structural/tectonic and regional depositional) at basin, play and prospect scale which reflect their setting and evolution; these underpin basin, play fairway and petroleum systems analysis and should account for exploration drilling results, where available.
• Utilise all available subsurface data to generate integrated descriptions of key geological attributes via maps, log and seismic correlations, depth and stratigraphic charts
• Develop understanding and rationale for what technically governs success in core plays, and how to mitigate associated risks
• Co-ordinate studies with 3rd party contractors and consultants. Integrate study data and results into Exploration delivery team studies as well as Development team studies.
• Assemble, correlate, and arrange geological and geophysical models & maps; construct and maintain original maps and cross sections showing available geotechnical information; develop other informative statistics regarding geotechnical data to aid in more efficient and economical exploitation and development and advise on the appropriate application of this information and its significance.
• Provide geological context to geophysical interpretations e.g. attribute work.
• Lead and perform full geological & structural interpretations of all pertinent data and deliver structural and attribute maps (e.g. play fairway analyses of GDE maps, basin models, common risk segments, etc) in order to identify leads which can be converted into prospects that can be drilled.
• Generate new play opportunities and champion new approaches to generating prospects and plays that exceed economic and reserve thresholds.

Sedimentology & Stratigraphy

• Strong and demonstrable knowledge and skills in Sedimentology and Stratigraphy for Carbonates, Clastic and other emerging plays.

• Apply knowledge and methodology of seismic sequence stratigraphic analysis across a broad range of depositional environments and structural settings.

Other Geological Skills

• Demonstrable knowledge and skills in structural/palinspatic reconstruction.
• Demonstrable knowledge & skills in performing fault-seal analysis.
• Demonstrable knowledge and skills in petroleum system analysis and performing basin modeling for 1D, 2D and 3D.

Hydrocarbon Resource Assessment, Risking & Ranking

• Strong and demonstrable knowledge and skills in performing hydrocarbon resource assessment for various trapstyles including stratigraphic play and fractured basement.
• Familiarity and fluency in assessing and evaluating the risking input from geological point of view of the prospects, as well as the capability to rank opportunities.

Prospect Generation, Evaluation & Inventorization

• Work within the framework of Play Based Exploration to enable to comparatively rank exploration portfolio.
• Develop a portfolio of prospects as potential locations for defining the strengths and weaknesses and risks involved in potential drilling locations per well 
• Recommends prospects to the Exploration Management for approval.

Drilling & Wellsite Operations

• Deliver well programmes in collaboration with Petrophysics and Drilling functions.
• Monitor drilling and wellsite operations and support data capture and HSSE.
• Responsible for timely interpretation of well data updates.
• Support delivery of well operations within budget.
• Conduct post-drill reviews, data integration and resource estimates.

Notional FDP & Commercial Evaluation

Co-ordinate and lead integration with Subsurface, Facilities and Commercial Teams to evaluate project or prospect economics/commerciality.

New Ventures / New Business Development

• Participate and lead the Malaysia BU and New Ventures team in identifying and assessing/evaluating new ventures or blocks as required, which includes farm-ins, extensions or bid rounds/awards.

Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement of exploration unit systems, processes and practices taking into account international best practice, improvement of business processes, cost reduction and productivity improvement.

Government Relations/PSC Compliance/Relations

• Assist Exploration teams and Exploration Management in preparing and contributing to G&G reports, and collating documentation to obtain JV Partner and Petronas MPM approval. Includes ARPR and related PSC matters.
• Present in TCM/MCM/SOCM and other related engagements including with other players via MICCI meetings/scout checks/etc..

Work Programs & Budgets and Plans

• Contribute to the preparation of the Exploration budget and monitor financial performance versus the budget to facilitate adherence to goals & objectives.

Leadership & Communication

• Work in an integrated Team Style manner, Communicate effectively with peers. Maintain awareness of team members technical work and integrate, not duplicate.
• Organise own activities and work to ensure that all work within a specific area of the geology unit activity is carried out in an efficient manner.
• Keep abreast with changing industry trends, technical innovations, new techniques and procedures.
• Recommend improvements to departmental procedures and direct the implementation of instructions and controls covering specific areas of geological activity.
• Store data in common knowledge areas (server/GIS), and communicate findings.
• Develop and maintain contacts with stakeholders on technical issues to provide advice

Supervision & Mentoring of Subordinates

• Organise, supervise and perform QA/QC on the activities and work of subordinates to ensure that all work within a specific area of the geological unit activity is carried out in an efficient manner and consistent with operating procedures and policy.

• Mentor junior exploration staff in G&G concepts, analyses, interpretation and evaluation of geological and other relevant data in order to enhance their knowledge and skills with the goal of improving their productivity and creativity.

• Share interpretation techniques and work flows with the Exploration Group and assure interpretation and mapping quality within the department.

HSSE

• Ensure compliance to all relevant safety, quality and environmental management procedures and controls within the team to guarantee employee safety, legislative compliance, delivery of high quality products/service and a responsible environmental attitude.

Job Requirements 

Knowledge :

• Degree in, and conversant in Geosciences, or Geology. An advanced degree is preferable.
• Proven and prolific prospect generator/hydrocarbon finder.
• Experience leading technical teams in evaluating opportunities and obtaining technical support/assurance.
• Wide experience in both Carbonate and Clastics.
• Wide experience in Sarawak and Malaysia basins.
• Experience in multiple playtypes from various basins in SE Asia and globally will be a plus.
• Wide experience in performing prospect maturation and prospectivity evaluation, up to the level of producing well proposals, undertaking drilling, monitoring well operations & performing post-drill analysis.
• Wide experience with New Ventures evaluations. Experience in acquiring new blocks/assets.
• Ability to work across both exploration and development projects.
• Strong understanding of carbonate stratigraphy, diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy
• Strong understanding of petroleum systems, play fairway analysis.
• Conversant in seismic data interpretation and mapping as well as velocity modeling and TWT to depth conversion techniques.
• Proficiency in high-grading exploration projects to notional FDP and running economics.
• Understanding of the framework of commercial threshold and the selection of the right opportunities.
• Ability to frame and manage work program and budget relevant to role.
• In depth knowledge of the Oil and Gas business. Sound awareness of the local and international factors that affect the Oil and Gas E&P business.

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of experience in the Oil & Gas company as a Geoscientist/Geologist. The holder should have breadth and depth of experience in Exploration, and considerable exposure in Development. The candidate should have generated and evaluated a varied portfolio of prospects and drilling candidates, and should have participated in drilling many wells and discovered hydrocarbon accumulations.
• International experience is essential, and SE Asian exploration and development experience is considered to be a plus.