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Job title
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Head of Exploration
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Grade
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Stream
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Commercial
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Function
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Exploration - Exploration New Operated Assets
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Location
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Oman - HO
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Budget control
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*OPEX and/or CAPEX and/or Revenue amount as relevant*
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Reporting to
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VP Exploration
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Direct reports
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Principal Exploration Data Management
Principal Geophysicist
Principal Geoscientist
Principal Reservoir Engineer
Lead Geologist
Senior Petrophysicist
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Job purpose
Provide strategic leadership, technical direction, and management oversight for exploration activities across OQEP’s operated and joint-venture new assets, leading a multidisciplinary Geoscience (G&G) team to deliver a robust inventory of prospects and leads, high-quality geological evaluations across diverse reservoirs, fluids, and maturity levels, and well-matured exploration and appraisal opportunities underpinned by sound data-acquisition strategies. The role is accountable for the safe, efficient, and compliant execution of all asset-related operational activities, for managing contracts and controlling exploration expenditure to optimise value, and for developing the long-term asset exploration strategy together with a robust annual Work Program and Budget (WP&B). As the senior exploration interface, the position leads engagement with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM) and joint-venture partners, directs JV and EPSA governance processes to secure all necessary internal, partner, and external approvals, and conducts regular asset performance reviews to sustain exploration growth and safeguard the Company’s commercial and reputational interests.
The position will act in accordance with the OQEP’s Mission, Vision, Values & Strategies, as well as, policies, guidelines, and international standards, supported by an IT Technology platform, QHSE & Energy Management System requirements standards, Omani’s government & other legal justifications, and best international practices in consonance with national objectives.
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Main tasks and responsibilities
- Lead with autonomy and set the strategic direction for the Exploration New Assets portfolio, establishing strategies, plans, programs, goals, deadlines, and budgets across operated and joint-venture exploration assets.
- Develop and drive the long-term exploration strategy and the annual Work Program and Budget (WP&B), securing internal, partner, and MEM approvals.
- Direct and govern the delivery of exploration geological and evaluation studies, ensuring a robust, well-risked prospect and lead inventory across a variety of reservoirs, fluids, and maturity levels.
- Provide technical governance and assurance over subsurface evaluations, ensuring geological uncertainties and risks are consistently incorporated into exploration and appraisal plans and reflected in all resource estimates.
- Oversee the risking and ranking of exploration opportunities and endorse recommendations presented at Peer Reviews, Peer Assists, and Functional Reviews under the Company’s Value Assurance Framework.
- Direct the planning, delivery, and evaluation of well operations — including Geotech documentation, data acquisition, well proposals, and post-well analyses — ensuring alignment with business objectives and definition of data-gathering requirements such as logging and coring.
- Champion the effective use of specialist studies (sedimentological, diagenetic, micropalaeontological, hydrocarbon fingerprinting, etc.) to strengthen subsurface understanding and decision quality.
- Lead engagement with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM) and joint-venture partners, representing OQEP at Technical Committee Meetings (TCMs), interface meetings, and asset performance reviews.
- Coordinate and govern joint-venture and EPSA meetings and processes to obtain all required internal, partner, and regulatory approvals.
- Manage the asset budget, manpower, and exploration expenditure, ensuring delivery within approved budgets and optimal allocation of resources.
- Direct contract management and the monitoring of exploration expenditure to safeguard value and ensure commercial compliance.
- Establish and govern exploration workflows, best practices, procedures, and data-management standards, ensuring all evaluations and geological data (petro-technical and physical) are handled in line with Company Data Management Standards.
- Propose, develop, and support G&G work to gain internal and partner approval for operator recommendations and proposals.
- Build organisational capability by leading, mentoring, and coaching Geoscientists, developing them into independent, high-performing professionals, and driving succession planning and Omanization objectives.
- Set and monitor KPIs and drive performance management across the exploration team to ensure achievement of strategic goals and objectives.
- Champion a strong occupational health, safety, security, and environment culture, ensuring all activities comply with Company HSE policies, goals, and targets, and participating in HSE programs and Management Site Visits (MSVs).
- Fulfil stand-by / on-call duties as required to support operational and business continuity.
- Perform other similar duties as assigned by the VP Exploration.
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Key interactions
Internal: All corporate support functions (Legal, Finance, Operated Assets & Subsurface, Contracting & Procurement, New Ventures, Non-Operated Assets, and HSSE).
External: Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM), Joint-Venture Partners, other E&P companies, and Consultancy & Service Firms.
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Notable Working Conditions. Office environment, intensive computer screen use, sporadic visits to operation site.
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Education requirements
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BS Degree in Geology, relevant science subject or equivalent. MSc degree desirable
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Language requirements
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Excellent knowledge of written, read, and spoken English (required) . Arabic - Native
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Background and experience
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Competencies and skills
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- A minimum of 10+ years’ relevant experience in exploration within the upstream oil and gas industry, including significant leadership and management experience.
- Extensive experience in exploration evaluation, joint ventures, and new ventures.
- Broad geoscience knowledge, with experience across both geophysics and geology.
- Experienced in both exploration and development E&P oil and gas activities.
- Proven track record of leading multidisciplinary G&G teams and delivering exploration portfolios and prospect inventories.
- Strong experience in prospect and lead maturation, risking, volumetrics, and resource estimation.
- Demonstrated experience managing MEM and joint-venture partner relationships, TCMs, and EPSA governance processes.
- Sound knowledge of exploration WP&B development, contract management, and expenditure control.
- Strong commitment to HSE standards and best practices in exploration operations.
- Relevant software experience, Landmark, Petrel and ArcGIS is preferred
- Demonstrated strong experience in the following fields:
- Prospect generation, evaluation and proposal
- Well operations planning and delivery
- Field appraisal and development including reservoir characterization
- Regional geological evaluations
- Ability to work in cross-functional team environment
- Track record in managing technical/ G&G team
- Track record of deadline delivery and result oriented
- Mastery level expert user of geological interpretations systems
- Exposure of working in different international (GCC & others)
- Strong experienced mentor and coach
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Soft:
- Leads with autonomy and takes accountability for a performance culture that delivers continuous transformation.
- Engages and inspires people to collaborate and share knowledge to achieve common goals.
- Models and ensures commitment with business aspirations.
- Pursues innovation and continuous improvement.
- Acts as an agent for change, constructively challenging the status quo.
- Leads a solution-based approach to plan and deliver competitive results.
- Transforms strategic insight into achieving business excellence.
- Builds capability and develops talent for the future.
Technical:
- Strategic leadership and exploration portfolio management.
- Advanced expertise in exploration geology and geophysics.
- Prospect and lead maturation, risking, and resource estimation.
- Well planning, data acquisition, and post-well evaluation governance.
- Contract management and exploration expenditure control.
- MEM, JV, and EPSA stakeholder management.
- Sound judgement and decision-making under uncertainty.
- Excellent business and technical report writing and presentation skills.
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