Fluids Superintendent – Offshore Drilling Operations

About the role

The Fluids Superintendent will lead all drilling and completion fluids, cementing, solids control and waste management activities for offshore wells in Gabon. This senior position ensures safe, cost‑effective, and environmentally compliant execution of drilling programs using both water‑based (WBM) and oil‑based (OBM) mud systems.

Key responsibilities

• Direct fluids contractors to optimise mud recipes for WBM and OBM systems and monitor mud properties throughout drilling.
• Coordinate mud pre‑mix and completion brine preparation at the liquid mud plant and manage pit space, kill mud and LCM pills.
• Perform fluids displacement, wellbore strengthening and stress‑caging simulations as required.
• Lead cementing contractors in slurry design, placement techniques and on‑the‑fly mixing for casing jobs and abandonment plugs.
• Manage solids control equipment (shale shakers, centrifuges, desanders, desalters) to maintain uptime and mud quality.
• Implement offshore waste‑management strategies and oversee cuttings skip‑and‑ship processes in compliance with Gabonese and international regulations.
• Enforce HSE standards, conduct risk assessments and maintain audit documentation.
• Supervise mud engineers, solids‑control technicians and cementing crews, providing training and mentorship.
• Participate in tender processes, track service costs per well and resolve contractual disputes.

Required profile

• Extensive experience managing drilling fluids, cementing, solids control and waste management on offshore projects.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate with drilling supervisors, rig managers and external contractors.
• Strong knowledge of offshore safety, environmental regulations and HSE best practices.

Required skills

• WBM and OBM fluid system optimisation
• Drilling mud property monitoring and simulation
• Cement slurry design and placement
• Solids control equipment operation (shale shakers, centrifuges, desanders, desalters)
• Fluids displacement and wellbore strengthening simulations
• Offshore waste‑management procedures