Job title: Senior Production Operator

Reporting to: Production Manager

Job Family: Production Engineering (PE)

Location: Field based position working 28/28

Job Ref. No. PD/PE/SPO/2026

Job Summary

Lead safe, reliable day‑to‑day field production operations at wellsites and surface facilities. Supervise production crew activities, ensure equipment integrity and routine maintenance, optimize well performance under operator procedures, and act as first‑line escalation for operational issues in remote onshore environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and coach production operators and field crews during shift duties; allocate tasks and ensure safe execution of work.
• Operate and monitor production systems (surface wellheads, chokes, separators, test manifolds, flowlines, pumps, compressors, metering) to meet production targets and HSE standards.
• Perform start‑up, shutdown, pigging, flowback and choke/slug control routines; manage primary isolation and safe handling of hydrocarbons.
• Conduct routine inspections, equipment checks, preventative maintenance, lubrication and basic troubleshooting; raise work orders for major repairs.
• Execute and verify daily production rounds, sampling, routine tests (pressure, temp, flow, composition) and accurate shift handover logs.
• Ensure compliance with operating procedures, permit‑to‑work, lockout/tagout and emergency response plans; lead on‑site emergency actions until relieved.
• Oversee well testing and production bleed/flow tests, coordinate with field engineers and service providers to ensure correct execution and data capture.
• Implement process safety controls, report abnormal events, perform immediate corrective actions and participate in incident investigations.
• Maintain accurate operational records, logbooks, daily reports and meter reconciliations; ensure data integrity for production reporting.
• Manage chemical handling, storage and safe disposal per HSE and environmental requirements.
• Liaise with maintenance, supervision, engineering and contractors to plan and execute interventions, turnarounds and equipment mobilization/demobilization.
• Mentor junior operators, deliver on‑the‑job training and enforce good housekeeping and safety culture on site.

Qualifications

• Technical certificate/diploma in Mechanical, Petroleum, Process Technology, or equivalent; trade qualifications advantageous.
• Minimum 5+ years’ field production/operator experience with at least 2 years in a senior or lead operator role in onshore production operations.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Strong operational knowledge of surface production equipment, wellheads, chokes, separators, pumps, compressors and metering systems.
• Competence in routine mechanical troubleshooting, basic electrical/SCADA checks and preventive maintenance practices.
• Understanding of flow assurance issues, multiphase flow behaviour and principles of custody transfer/metering.
• Proficiency in production rounds, sampling procedures and basic analytical testing.
• Familiarity with permit‑to‑work systems, process safety management, LOTO and emergency shutdown systems.
• Basic computer literacy for reporting and work order management.

Behavioural & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong leadership, supervisory and team‑management skills; capable of coaching and developing field staff.
• Clear communicator with good incident reporting and handover practices.
• Decisive, calm under pressure, with good situational awareness and operational judgement.
• Strong safety mindset and ability to enforce standards consistently.

Experience & Conditions

• Proven experience in onshore production operations, well testing and field supervision in remote environments.
• Willingness to work rotational shifts, camp living and extended hours during critical operations or incidents.
• Physically able to perform field tasks and work in harsh environmental conditions.

Performance Indicators

• Production uptime and achievement of shift production targets.
• Number and severity of safety incidents and adherence to HSE standards.
• Timeliness and quality of daily reports, meter reconciliations and data accuracy.
• Reduction in preventable equipment failures and effective execution of preventative maintenance.
• Effectiveness in crew supervision, training outcomes and contractor coordination.

Desirable

• Certifications: First Aid, H2S, Safe Working at Heights, Confined Space, Permit‑to‑Work.
• Experience with SCADA/PLC systems, CMMS (e.g., SAP/EAM) and basic instrumentation troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with well intervention support, artificial lift basics and production chemistry.