Drilling Contracts Engineer

About the role

You will lead the commercial and contractual workstream for an offshore well programme, overseeing the full lifecycle of contract novation from initial review through negotiation, execution and interface management. The role involves a farm‑in onto an active rig contract and requires deep knowledge of drilling contract structures, liability matrices and multi‑party rig‑sharing dynamics.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the commercial and contractual workstream for the offshore well programme.
• Manage contract novation, including review, negotiation and execution.
• Coordinate interface management with the operator’s commercial and legal teams, rig contractor, third‑party drilling service providers and the rig owner.
• Ensure proper allocation of liability, indemnity and risk across multi‑party agreements.
• Oversee rig farm‑in processes and back‑to‑back contracting arrangements.

Required profile

• Minimum 10 years of experience in upstream oil and gas contracts, focusing on drilling and well‑services contracts.
• Direct experience with IADC, LOGIC or bespoke day‑rate drilling contracts for jack‑up or equivalent rigs.
• Background in either a law degree (LLB/LLM) with an upstream contracts specialism or an engineering/technical degree with 10+ years in drilling contracts.
• Proven track record of commercial negotiation with drilling contractors, service companies or NOC commercial teams in West Africa.
• Familiarity with multi‑party interface agreements, liability allocation and indemnity structures.
• Experience in West African NOC environments is a strong advantage.

Required skills

• IADC contract knowledge
• LOGIC contract knowledge
• Day‑rate drilling contract expertise
• Contract novation
• Rig farm‑in processes
• Multi‑party interface agreement management
• Liability allocation
• Indemnity structuring