Production Engineering Consultant Nodal Analysis & Gas Gathering System Modeling
Denver, CO - USA
Job Summary
Company Information
QB Energy is a Denver-based upstream natural gas company committed to delivering value through responsible acquisition development and production that benefits both shareholders and stakeholders by operating efficiently sustainably and with cutting-edge technology.
QB Energy operates in the Piceance Basin of Western Colorado currently operating about 400000 net acres. The company develops and operates upstream gathering compression processing and fractionation assets with a focus on safety environmental stewardship and community engagement. Initiatives such as zero-flaring methane emissions reduction water recycling and wildlife mitigation help minimize footprint while maximizing long-term value.
Job Summary
The Production Engineering Consultant is a contract technical specialist responsible for coupling well-level deliverability to the gas gathering network in support of infrastructure and compression investment decisions across an operated portfolio of approximately 4000 gas wells. This role builds and applies integrated production models that tie per-well IPR/VLP behavior to gathering line pressure runs large-scale line-pressure sensitivities and translates the results into base production impact and economic justification for capital projects.
The position is hands-on in nodal analysis network modeling well grouping and calibration against field data and is expected to document methods and transfer the workflow to the internal engineering team. This is a defined-scope contract engagement.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Build per-well and well-group deliverability-vs-line-pressure relationships from existing whitson IPR/VLP models capturing critical-rate / liquid-loading behavior (Turner/Coleman).
- Couple deliverability curves to the existing gathering line rate/pressure model so the network solves against realistic well inflow.
- Run field-scale line-pressure sensitivities across the operated portfolio and quantify base-production impact for a range of new-development and compression scenarios.
- Develop a defensible well-grouping / IPR scheme so 4000 wells remain tractable without losing the wells that drive the answer (loading-prone tail-end high-drawdown).
- Provide technical and economic input to support gathering and compression infrastructure investment decisions including sensitivity results suitable for AFE and capital justification.
- Calibrate models against production and pressure data; document assumptions methods and limitations.
- Interface with internal production engineering operations and midstream/gathering stakeholders and transfer the workflowincluding training the internal team for ongoing use.
Qualifications
Education:
- A minimum of a B.S. in Petroleum Mechanical or Chemical engineering required.
Experience:
- 10 years of experience in oil and gas production operation with an emphasis on natural gas production required.
- Production and/or reservoir engineering experience required. Facilities and midstream experience preferred.
- Prior work coupling well deliverability to large scale models strongly preferred.
Specialized knowledge:
- Nodal analysis IPR/VLP construction operating-point solving and critical-rate / liquid-loading relationships.
- Gas gathering infrastructure gathering systems compression line-pressure dynamics and three-phase gathering.
- Large-scale field modeling integrated production / integrated asset modeling beyond single-well studies.
- Proficiency with well-performance and network software: whitson and Synergi Gas or equivalents (PROSPER or SNAP on the well side; PIPESIM or GAP on the network side).
- RTA analysis and gas-well deliverability fundamentals; back-pressure/deliverability equations; wet-gas PVT basics.
- Scripting and automation for batch sensitivities (Python; whitson API GAP OpenServer or PIPESIM Python Toolkit) a plus.
- Familiarity with production data systems for data access and calibration (Peloton ProdView WellView Spotfire; SQL) a plus.
- Working knowledge of ECMC BLM and UDOGM operating context helpful.
- Experience in tight gas plays a plus.
Skills & Abilities:
- Strong problem-solving skills and sound engineering judgment; able to make and defend modeling assumptions to a technical audience.
- Excellent written and verbal communication with clear documentation of methods and results.
- Strong organizational and prioritization skills; able to deliver a defined scope independently with minimal oversight.
- Collaborative team-oriented mindset; effective across engineering operations and midstream functions.
- High integrity and composure managing a technically complex decision-critical workstream.
Compensation
The base compensation for this role in this location is targeted between $135 and $155 hourly. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the range listed above.
Work Conditions
Location:
This position is remote with periodic travel required to the Denver CO office and the Parachute CO field office. Candidates currently residing in locations outside of daily commuting distance will be considered; however it is the expectation that the selected individual will be available to travel to these locations as needed to support business and field requirements.
Work Environment:
This position operates in an office environment. This entails working inside an office space wherein employees may be provided a public workstation (cubicle) or private office. From time to time the role will require field visits where exposure to extreme weather conditions fumes airborne particles vibrations dust electrical charges and other unforeseen exposures may be encountered.
Physical Demands:
In the performance of the duties and responsibilities of this job the employee is required to have visual acuity to operate a motor vehicle and view a computer terminal for prolonged periods of time. While at work sites the employee will be expected to walk and stand. Individuals might be asked to climb balance stoop kneel crouch reach and/or crawl. Individuals might be required to lift carry push or pull up to 50 the performance of this position.
Additional Information
Disclaimer:
This job posting is not intended to contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. The Company reserves the right to change or assign additional duties responsibilities and activities at any time with or without notice.
Hiring Practices:
QB Energy is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race color religion national origin age sex (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions) marital status ancestry physical or mental disability genetic information veteran status gender identity or expression sexual orientation or other applicable legally protected characteristic. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal state and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability you may contact HR Manager at .
We anticipate this post will close in 30 days
Required Experience:
Contract