Senior Petroleum Engineer

Summary

SUMMARY

 

The Senior Petroleum Engineer will provide advanced technical and economic advisory support to mineral owners, Federal Regional and Agency Offices, and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to promote the development of conventional energy resources. The position involves a broad spectrum of responsibilities, including technical analysis, economic evaluation, marketing support, and direct liaison with mineral owners and industry partners. As a Senior Petroleum Engineer, you will serve in a leadership capacity, potentially with supervisory responsibilities, and will be responsible for the day-to-day direction of technical work under the federal department lead function.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

• Serves as a leadership position within the Petroleum Engineer labor category, providing expert engineering support and applying advanced petroleum engineering methodologies to diverse oil and gas projects on mineral rich lands.
• Responsible for the day-to-day direction of technical work as required by specific work orders, including generating well decline forecasts, future production forecasts, remaining reserve analyses, and stimulation recommendations.
• May be expected to perform supervisory responsibilities, overseeing well workovers, pipeline design analyses, facility design, and providing guidance on potential field expansion projects while reporting to the On-Site Lead and Project Manager.
• Generates comprehensive economic evaluations and sensitivity analyses for oil and gas operations to provide mineral owners with potential income forecasts and critical negotiating information for Indian Mineral Development Act (IMDA) agreements.
• Performs sophisticated reservoir simulations and characterizations to maximize oil and gas production and conducts well log analyses to identify potential bypassed production.
• Acts as a primary technical specialist and liaison between mineral owners, federal agencies, and commercial contractors on complex project issues, processes, and methods related to both conventional and unconventional resource plays.
• Evaluate grant applications from tribal organizations for the Energy and Mineral Development Program (EMDP), providing technical assessments and recommendations.
• Monitors assigned grants throughout their entire lifecycle, ensuring compliance, tracking progress, and providing technical assistance to tribal grantees to support successful project outcomes.
• Formulates and recommends comprehensive plans for the development of oil, gas, and other mineral deposits.
• Provides essential oil, gas, and mineral training and education to Tribal communities, enhancing their capacity for self-determination and resource management.
• Supports the marketing and promotion of Tribal energy resources by assisting in the creation of technical presentations and displays for industry trade shows and forums.

 

 SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Technical Capacity: Advanced petroleum engineering across conventional and unconventional plays including coalbed methane, shallow low-pressure wells, tight gas, and liquids-rich/resource plays. Proficient in horizontal drilling, well construction, and completion strategies (including hydraulic fracturing) from design through execution.
• Quantitative Analysis & Economics: Expert command of resource/reserve estimation methods and classification frameworks; skilled in decline-curve analysis, discounted cash flow, rate-of-return, and present-value modeling to inform development phasing and capital decisions.
• Complex Problem Solving: Ability to evaluate multi-variable field and project challenges integrating geology, petrophysics, drilling/completions, production, facilities, and market factors to assess technical, operational, and financial feasibility and recommend data-driven paths forward.
• Tools & Data Mastery: Deep familiarity with well-log analysis platforms and proficiency with at least one commercial reserves estimation application; comfortable synthesizing subsurface and production datasets into clear, defensible conclusions.
• Communication: Strong technical liaison skills translating complex concepts for diverse stakeholders (Tribal leadership, government officials, industry contractors) and producing clear specifications, reports, and executive-level briefings.
• Leadership and Direction: Provides day-to-day technical direction under work orders; mentors junior engineers/consultants and conducts QA/QC to ensure accuracy, compliance, and on-time delivery.

 

EDUCA