SAGD Reservoir Engineer

Profile Statement

At Nexen, it's not just what we do that makes us a leader in our industry it's how we do it.  Nexen is a Canadian-based energy company with international assets. We're building a sustainable future with our unconventional resource developments and world-class operations. From oil sands, coalbed methane and shale gas in North America to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, offshore West Africa and the Middle East, Nexen is at the forefront of industry innovation and development.


We've earned a global reputation for doing the right thing, giving us the edge in many challenging locations around the world. Our company cares. That means we build relationships with stakeholders based on integrity and open dialogue. And, we strive to minimize the impact of our activities on communities and the natural environment.  We do all we can to ensure our employees and contractors go home safely at the end of every work day. Our workplace is exciting, challenging and fun. We encourage initiative and welcome innovative ideas from everyone at any level.  We're a company you can believe in.


Nexen has over 3,800 employees worldwide and is listed on both the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.

Position Overview

To facilitate Nexen's growth and expansion in the in-situ oil sands the decision has been made to recruit externally for an individual to join the organization as a SAGD Reservoir Engineer. In this capacity, you will have a well-supported mandate to help optimize and grow the Long Lake business by providing reservoir engineering expertise to effectively optimize current SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage) assets and develop and execute on new resource play opportunities within the area to help grow and enhance the company's in-situ oil sands portfolio.

Reporting to the Manager of Long Lake Asset Team in the Oil Sands Division, the primary responsibility for this role is to provide reservoir engineering support and technical expertise to the Long Lake Phase 1 development and subsequent future development phases. As a member of the Long Lake technical team, the primary focus for this role will be to work closely with other reservoir engineering and technical discipline team members to ensure the efficient management of the company's in-situ oil sands projects.

Job Duties/Responsibilities 

• Provide clear input, direction and assessment/evaluation on the implementation and improvement of oil recovery within existing assets particularly relating to SAGD;
• Provide analysis of SAGD reservoir  performance and provide recommendations for process improvements;
• Work closely with Production Engineering and G&G staff in day to day management of Phase I SAGD well by well optimization assessments;
• Initiate and manage specific reservoir engineering projects as required to optimize reservoir performance;
• Responsible for  the development and maintenance of long term production forecasts for Long Lake Phase 1 and future phases;
• Assist in reservoir/steam monitoring program, monitoring wells, surface measurement and 4D seismic;
• Evaluation of optimal well design, spacing and infill drilling;
• Provide detailed evaluation of Phase 1 sustaining pads and asset depletion plans;
• Provide analysis of competitor SAGD operations for performance analogs;
• Provide Reservoir Engineering input to regulatory applications;
• Complete annual detailed reserves determination as well as completing economic evaluations;
• Work closely with Reservoir Simulation Engineers to develop numerical models for well and field history matching and predictions;
• Assist in enhanced recovery initiatives including non-condensable gas, solvents, surfactant and in-situ combustion; and
• Assist is the development of innovative reservoir engineering workflows.

Education / Experience 

• B.Sc. in a relevant Engineering discipline with 3-5 years thermal reservoir engineering experience and 5-10 years total reservoir engineering experience;
• Prior experience of providing reservoir engineering input into a SAGD startup would be a major asset;
• Strong oral and written communication skills with a demonstrated ability to show initiative;
• Well-honed analytical and problem solving skills;
• Ability to proactively and efficiently collaborate with technical experts within the company as well as with external partners to identify and adopt new technology and best practices;
• Highly organized with excellent project management abilities;
• Well-developed communication, interpersonal and team focused skills;
• Computer proficiency in relevant reservoir engineering software packages is essential;
• Excellent analytical and integration skills;
• Results oriented, decisive and self-motivated;
• Demonstrated ability and desire to mentor less experienced engineers and participate in peer reviews;
• Understand how your role contributes to the team and corporate efforts of Nexen;
• Creative problem solving ability with the ability to think ‘outside the box';
• Ability to deliver desired results safely, on time and on budget while maintaining or enhancing relationships;
• Ability to identify and assess risk and return, structure an approach to mitigate risk and maximize return, prioritize and plan work and ultimately take actions to ensure execution is optimized; and
• Understand and support the Nexen culture, holding self and others accountable for consistently demonstrating desired behaviors consistent with a respectful work force and best practices to achieve results.

Closing Statement

Nexen Inc. offers a competitive compensation and benefits package and excellent opportunities for growth and advancement.


No agency or telephone inquiries please.


Only resumes of candidates being considered will be acknowledged.

This Position Is Closed to New Applicants

This position is no longer open for new applications. Either the position has expired or was removed because it was filled. However, there are thousands of other great jobs to be found on Rigzone.