As a completions superintendent, you are key to enabling production of wells. You act as a bridge between drilling and operations. You ensure operations run safely, efficiently and on schedule.
Completions superintendents plan, coordinate and supervise the completions of wells or workover and abandonment programs and activities. Completions, in the context of oil and natural gas production, occurs after drilling and is the process by which a well is enabled to produce oil or gas. Completions superintendents provide cost estimates and coordinate resources to ensure timely, efficient operations.
Completions superintendents are also responsible for ensuring that the completions operations are in compliance with all regulatory requirements and organizational goals. They are the main point of contact between site management and field operations. They prepare well status reports. They oversee health, safety and environment, emergency response planning and standard operating procedure activities and prepare related documentation.
I'm interested in a career in
- Sub-sector Oil and gas services, Offshore
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary $76,000 to $140,000
- Education Post-secondary diploma
- Career Demand Growing
In this occupation activities may include:
- Working with service suppliers to ensure the correct equipment and personnel are allocated and available for operations as required
- Preparing completion sub-assemblies and shipping them to the rig site
- Working with the sub-surface team to design fit-for-purpose completions
- Providing efficient operations oversight and undertaking immediate trouble-shooting in the event of problems during the completions phase
- Monitoring material inventory for all completions equipment
- Researching innovative technology, including new operational techniques and downhole and surface equipment
- Ensuring all corporate and regulatory safety objectives are met
Education
- A post-secondary diploma or completion of an industry-approved training course is required, as well as significant experience in each of the areas under supervision.
- Some organizations may require a post-secondary degree in engineering.
- Field related experience is critical to this occupation.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a natural leader who prides yourself on your ability to work efficiently and stay organized. You have strong communication skills and work well with a variety of people.
- Mechanical
- Public safety and security
- Judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
- Law and government
- Management of financial resources
- Management of material resources
- Management of personnel resources
- Troubleshooting
- Production and processing
- Sub-sector Carbon capture, utilization and storage, Well site decommissioning
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary diploma
- Career Demand Growing
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as a completions superintendent in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the CCUS and well site decommissioning sub-sectors of cleantech.
In addition to the activities below, other activities in well site decommissioning may include:
- Removing sub-surface equipment and cutting and capping the well.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Working with service suppliers to ensure the correct equipment and personnel are allocated and available for operations as required
- Preparing completion sub-assemblies and shipping them to the rig site
- Working with the sub-surface team to design fit-for-purpose completions
- Providing efficient operations oversight and undertaking immediate trouble-shooting in the event of problems during the completions phase
- Monitoring material inventory for all completions equipment
- Researching innovative technology, including new operational techniques and downhole and surface equipment
- Ensuring all corporate and regulatory safety objectives are met
Education
- A post-secondary diploma or completion of an industry-approved training course is required, as well as significant experience in each of the areas under supervision.
- Some organizations may require a post-secondary degree in engineering.
- Field related experience is critical to this occupation.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to cleantech include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Travel required (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Work away from home/in camps (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Primarily outdoor work (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Physical work (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Freelance/contract opportunities (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Safety-sensitive environment (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
- Transition to a similar level (CCUS | well site decommissioning)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a natural leader who prides yourself on your ability to work efficiently and stay organized. You have strong communication skills and work well with a variety of people.
- Mechanical
- Public safety and security
- Judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
- Law and government
- Management of financial resources
- Management of material resources
- Management of personnel resources
- Troubleshooting
- Production and processing
- Sub-sector Geothermal
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary diploma
- Career Demand Growing
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A completions superintendent considering a career change from oil and natural gas to the geothermal sub-sector of renewables may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. Workers may need to familiarize themselves with more dynamic reservoirs than typically encountered in oil and natural gas production, with deeper reservoirs and, variable pressure, flow rates and temperatures.
In addition to the activities below, other activities in renewables may include:
- Applying knowledge of well completion processes and standards designed to ensure wells last for 25 -30 years. (geothermal)
- Adjusting practices to case entire wellbores using specialized cement. (geothermal)
- Completing well testing to ensure well integrity. (geothermal)
- Overseeing well stimulation activities. (geothermal)
In this occupation activities may include:
- Working with service suppliers to ensure the correct equipment and personnel are allocated and available for operations as required
- Preparing completion sub-assemblies and shipping them to the rig site
- Working with the sub-surface team to design fit-for-purpose completions
- Providing efficient operations oversight and undertaking immediate trouble-shooting in the event of problems during the completions phase
- Monitoring material inventory for all completions equipment
- Researching innovative technology, including new operational techniques and downhole and surface equipment
- Ensuring all corporate and regulatory safety objectives are met
Education
- A post-secondary diploma or completion of an industry-approved training course is required, as well as significant experience in each of the areas under supervision.
- Some organizations may require a post-secondary degree in engineering.
- Field related experience is critical to this occupation.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to renewables include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (geothermal)
- Travel required (geothermal)
- Work away from home/in camps (geothermal)
- Primarily outdoor work (geothermal)
- Physical work (geothermal)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (geothermal)
- Freelance/contract opportunities (geothermal)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (geothermal)
- Safety-sensitive environment (geothermal)
- Transition to a similar level (geothermal)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a natural leader who prides yourself on your ability to work efficiently and stay organized. You have strong communication skills and work well with a variety of people.
- Mechanical
- Public safety and security
- Judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
- Law and government
- Management of financial resources
- Management of material resources
- Management of personnel resources
- Troubleshooting
- Production and processing
