STP Lead Operator

Job Description

Through its merger with Oil Search, Santos has acquired and assumed operatorship over a world-class portfolio of oil leases on the Alaskan North Slope, USA.

Our focus in Alaska is advancement of our Pikka Phase 1 project, which includes a single drill site, an oil processing facility, and other infrastructure to support production of 80,000 barrels of oil per day.

Pikka has been identified as being among the top quartile of oil and gas development projects for greenhouse gas emissions performance. Pikka is poised to play an important role in the energy transition and is aligned with our company goal of managing climate change risk. Santos and its partner Repsol has committed the funding for Pikka Phase 1 and is on track to deliver first oil by 2026.

The Pikka Unit is one of the largest conventional oil discoveries made in the United States in the last 30 years, and the Pikka Phase 1 Project is the most significant development on Alaska's North Slope in more than 20 years.

The permitted Pikka development project includes two additional drill sites. The Alaska assets also include discoveries made from both the Mitquq and Stirrup exploration wells drilled in 2020. These opportunities combine to offer a clear path to long-term growth in Alaska.

POSITION PURPOSE

The STP Lead Operator is the Subject Matter Expert (SME) that works closely with and assists the Operations & Maintenance Manager in all aspects of the Santos Seawater Treatment Plant operations and maintenance to ensure overall safe, compliant, effective, and efficient operations.

The STP Lead Operator is responsible for training and managing the operations team on a day-to-day basis, while also performance managing and leading the team in solving complex operational problems throughout facilities in the Pikka asset. The STP Lead Operator also allocates work and provides technical direction and assistance to operations personnel.

In addition, during the project phase, the role will be part of the Integrated Commissioning and Start-up Team, leading and overseeing Operational commissioning activities and contractor supervision.

This will require the position to be initially based at the Santos HQ in Anchorage, AK for the planning phase, performing multiples visits to the fabrication yards. Once field execution begins, the position will be moved to the North Slope on rotational basis of 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Promote and lead in the implementation of Santos Ltd policies and procedures, including Safety, health, environment, process, people and planning.

Plan, lead, and execute handover to Operations including commissioning of new STP facilities. Direct operators on handover activities needed from commissioning technicians.

Lead and manage the maintenance planning, plant reliability, and turnaround activities for the STP and support facilities. This includes directing the work of the operators; managing the schedules and workloads.

Responsible for performance management of the operators and ensuring timecard submission is completed and approved per company requirements for all operators.

Trains and Mentors Operations team personnel in activities and processes. This includes proper onboarding of operators and ensuring ongoing training is completed. Incentivize all operator to work towards becoming board/panel certified.

Lead Santos oversite of contractor work, ensuring compliance with Santos and regulatory requirements.

Lead and participate in safe, effective, and cost-efficient operations in the alignment of the Region's annual budgets.

Oversee incident and operational upset investigations, working with operations and maintenance functions.

Ensures that all SOPs are followed, including all regulatory governance (PHMSA/DOT, OSHA, SOA) are met by operators, technicians, and contractors.

Achieve and maintain qualifications in operating all areas, including the facility control room board/panel

Fills in for Operator tasks when additional labor resources are needed due to illness or heavy workload.

Ensure that their areas of responsibility comply with all federal, state, and local regulations.

Makes recommendations for improving SOPs.

Seek and implement opportunities to reduce area costs and optimize performance.

Lead facility/drill site modifications and special projects, and support work activities of all crafts.

Balances competing priorities, scheduling issues & deadlines.

Delivers effective feedback, both up and down the chain of command, and takes accountability for own performance.

Process Safety Management (PSM) program knowledge and compliance.

SAP / Prometheus Work Order schedule compliance through our Integrated Activity Planning System (IAP).

Assist vendor representatives and site operations in commissioning and start up activities and conduct walkdowns as required representing the Operations commissioning discipline.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) understanding, communicating, and reporting process.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Formal Qualification

Engineering Degree preferred

Required: educational background normally acquired through a High School degree or GED or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Must be able to pass a pre-employment DOT drug screen, and background check.

Valid state motor vehicle license

Skills / Technical Competencies

A strong operations foundation with a strong understanding of processing and water treatment facilities.

Read, understand and able to communicate process plant operations from PFD's and P&ID's.

Ability to manage contractors.

Exceptional productivity skills. Can be relied upon to get the job done accurately and on time.

Exhibits a strong work ethic, and a reputation for the highest degree of integrity.

Strong understanding of operations competencies:

Instrumentation & Control

Chemistry/Physics, Chemical handling

Membrane Technologies related to water treatment.

Process Equipment Basics (Production Heaters, Heat Exchangers, Motors, Compressors, Pumps, Turbines, Valves)

Operator Duties/Tasks

Utilities and Services

Metallurgy/Corrosion/Fouling

Advanced Equipment Reliability/Optimization

Advanced Control Principles

Pressure Vessels

Experience

Good interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral).

Minimum of 10 years operations experience in the oil & gas and/or water treating experience is required.

Willing and able to work a 12-hour day/night shift with a 2/2 weeks on/off rotational schedule on the North Slope of Alaska.

Able to successfully pass a fit for duty assessment.