Senior PPFG & Geomechanics Specialist

BP•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Western Hemisphere Pore Pressure and Geomechanics teams are seeking a Senior Pore Pressure & Geomechanics Specialist to support bp’s ambitious Gulf of America portfolio, including brownfield and greenfield developments, appraisal campaigns, and exploration drilling activities. Based in Houston, this role will work closely with global PPFG and Geomechanics teams to deliver technically robust, safe, and compliant well planning and execution solutions across complex deepwater operations. The successful candidate will serve as an integral member of multidisciplinary well delivery teams, providing expertise in pore pressure prediction, fracture gradient analysis, wellbore stability, and drilling geomechanics throughout all phases of the well lifecycle, including concept development, detailed planning, real-time execution support, and post-well analysis. This position requires collaboration with subsurface, drilling, completions, and Real-Time Operations Center teams to optimize drilling performance, manage well integrity risks, and support safe and efficient operations.

Requirements

Significant industry experience in pore pressure prediction, fracture gradient analysis, and drilling geomechanics within an operator or service company environment
Strong understanding of deepwater drilling operations and subsurface well planning
Experience supporting complex offshore exploration and development wells, preferably in the Gulf of America
Demonstrated ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and manage competing operational priorities
Strong communication and collaborator management skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear operational recommendations
Experience with wellbore stability analysis, formation integrity testing, and pressure management workflows
Familiarity with subsurface fields including geology, geophysics, petrophysics, basin modeling, drilling engineering, and reservoir geomechanics
Knowledge of rig systems, drilling operations, and well control principles
Experience with industry-standard PPFG and subsurface software tools, including: Techlog, Petrel, Python, VBA

Nice To Haves

Advanced degrees are preferred
Experience with data analytics, automation, or digital workflow development is considered advantageous.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain geologically sound pore pressure and fracture gradient (PPFG) forecasts for exploration, appraisal, and development wells by integrating multiple subsurface datasets and geological interpretations within a robust regional framework.
Provide technical recommendations to optimize: Drilling fluid selection and mud weight programs, Casing design and casing setting depths, Wellbore strengthening strategies, Geo-hazard mitigation plans, Drilling performance and well integrity.
Communicate technical findings, operational risks, uncertainties, and mitigation strategies to multidisciplinary collaborators, including drilling teams, operations leadership, co-owners, and government regulators.
Provide real-time operational support during drilling operations for complex deepwater development and exploration wells.
Partner closely with the Real-Time Operations Center to support: Pressure detection and monitoring, Real-time PPFG model calibration, Kick detection and analysis, Gas trend and breathing analysis, Loss investigations, Formation integrity test interpretation.
Continuously update PPFG and geomechanics models during drilling operations and recommend operational adjustments to improve safety, drilling efficiency, and well delivery performance, including: Mud weight optimization, Drilling parameter adjustments, Identification of potential pressure transition zones, Wellbore stability risk mitigation.
Support development and implementation of wellbore strengthening strategies for depleted reservoirs and challenging drilling environments.
Contribute to advanced wellbore stability analyses and minimum mud weight recommendations through integration of: Wireline and LWD log data, Drilling performance data, Cavings analysis, Borehole image logs, Caliper and hole condition data.
Support broader well integrity and reservoir management activities, including: Reservoir operating limits, Broaching assessments, Zonal isolation evaluations, Alternate well design assessments, Abandonment risk and deviation studies.
Participate in risk assessments associated with PPFG, wellbore stability, zonal isolation, and drilling geohazards.
Support non-productive time (NPT) investigations and contribute to operational learning and continuous improvement initiatives.
Drive development and implementation of PPFG and geomechanics workflows, digital tools, and technical standards.
Represent bp at industry forums, technical conferences, and joint industry projects (JIPs).
Provide mentoring, coaching, and technical guidance to junior team members and early-career engineers/geoscientists.