Background

In just five years Nexen Petroleum (UK) Limited has become one of the North Sea's foremost E&P businesses. They have a core expertise in the Central North Sea where they operate the producing Buzzard, Scott/Telford and Ettrick fields and with 300,000 boepd they are the second largest North Sea liquids producer.

They also have an enviable record of exploration success and have made several operated discoveries, including Golden Eagle - the largest North Sea find in 10 years. 

Position Overview

This position will support the day to day geophysical effort to optimise the further development drilling of the Buzzard Field, which has been on stream since January 2007. In addition, and specifically, the geophysicist is likely to focus 80% on Buzzard Field, 20% on near field potential/prospectivity.  Key interfaces will include the Buzzard/Ettrick Subsurface Manager, the Buzzard Geophysics Lead, with full integration with the other key disciplines, especially Geology and Reservoir Engineering.

Job Duties / Responsibilities

1) Buzzard

• Optimise location of production and injection wells on the Buzzard Field through interpretation and analysis of seismic and well data, supported by, and integrating with, input from geology and engineering disciplines.
• Provide input to relevant well documentation (e.g. well justifications/proposals).
• Provide structural framework input for static model updates of the field.
• Represent Nexen at partner meetings, especially TCMs.
• Support the Buzzard Lead geophysicist as required. The latter role will generally focus on impacting longer term geophysics strategy for Buzzard, including the initiation, supervision and QC of special studies undertaken by consultants etc. however, this is not prescriptive and there will likely be some overlap depending on time and resource availability.

2) Buzzard near field potential/prospectivity

• Identify and evaluate remaining near field prospectivity, progressing to peer review standard, preparing well documentation and liaising with partners.

Other duties include those normally expected of senior technical staff, including training and mentoring of more junior staff and active participation in Nexen's European geophysics network.

Education / Experience

• Minimum Bachelors degree in a relevant Earth Science, preferably a relevant post graduate qualification (MSc/PhD).
• Significant relevant experience, some of which gained with an operator.
• Demonstrable skills in 2D and 3D seismic interpretation, including advanced level in workstation skills for development geophysics purposes: Landmark's Seisworks or Powerview preferred, but not essential.
• Proficient in mapping using current industry applications. Petrosys preferred but not essential.
• Skilled in generating well synthetics and tying to seismic data.
• Good understanding of rock physics and reservoir characterisation from seismic, including quantitative interpretation techniques, lateral prediction and AVO analysis.
• Proficient in depth conversion techniques.
• Experience in working with cross-functional teams on reservoir and field development.
• Good understanding of seismic data acquisition and processing methods, ideally in offshore settings, along with their impact on data interpretation accuracy and validity.
• Good working knowledge in geology, ideally with UKCS  experience, and with emphasis on structural and stratigraphic interpretation skills.
• Demonstrated experience in presenting analyses & results to Management, Partners and Government agencies.
• Fluent in English-written and spoken, with the ability to write high quality technical reports.

If you would like to discuss this role, please contact Liz Gardner on +44 (0)20 7016 9768 or  +44 (0)7801 711372. To apply, please follow the links on this page or email your CV and salary details to nexen@simpsoncrowden.com quoting reference R200.

Please note that all applications must be made via this website, or by emailing one of our consultants. Applications made directly to Nexen from candidates or third parties will be forwarded to Simpson Crowden.