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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Upstream Project Manager

💰 $ - $

Oil & GasEnergyProject ManagementUpstream

🎯 Role Definition

The Upstream Project Manager is responsible for leading the delivery of exploration, appraisal, development and production optimization projects across upstream oil & gas assets. This role oversees scope definition, engineering and procurement strategy (FEED/EPC/EPCM), contractor management, HSE and regulatory compliance, cost and schedule control, technical integrity and stakeholder alignment from concept through commissioning and handover. The Upstream Project Manager ensures projects meet safety, commercial and operational objectives while aligning with asset and corporate strategies, driving risk-based decisions and continuous improvement across project delivery.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Project Engineer (Upstream / Subsea / Wells)
  • Wells Engineer / Drilling Engineer
  • Field Development or Production Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior Project Manager / Lead Project Manager
  • Program Manager / Portfolio Manager (Upstream)
  • Head of Projects / Head of Engineering
  • General Manager, Asset or Operations

Lateral Moves:

  • Asset Manager
  • Commercial / Contracts Manager
  • Operations Manager (Production / Wells)
  • HSSE Lead for Projects

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead end-to-end delivery of upstream projects (brownfield modifications, well campaigns, tie-ins, subsea installations, FPSO/Platform integrations), ensuring safe execution, timely delivery and control of scope, cost and schedule; act as single point of accountability for project outcomes.
  • Develop, validate and manage the project execution plan (PEP), stage-gate deliverables, and governance documentation; ensure alignment with corporate stage-gate reviews, investment approval processes and E&P strategy.
  • Define project scope and manage scope-change processes including commercial change control, variation management and claims mitigation with EPC/EPCM contractors and vendors.
  • Establish and control project budgets and cost forecasts; drive cost estimating, value engineering and cost optimization initiatives; prepare and present cost-to-complete and earned value reports to stakeholders and sponsors.
  • Prepare, lead and chair multidisciplinary project steering committees and progress review meetings; provide clear dashboards, KPI reporting and executive briefings to asset leadership and corporate stakeholders.
  • Create and maintain robust project schedules (Primavera P6 / MS Project), integrate multi-discipline critical paths, manage float, and drive corrective actions to recover schedule slippage.
  • Lead procurement and contracting strategies for major packages (EPC, fabrication, subsea, drilling services); manage tendering, bid evaluation, commercial negotiation, contract award and performance management to ensure contractual compliance and risk allocation.
  • Manage contractor selection, performance monitoring and on-site contractor coordination; enforce / verify contractor HSE and quality management systems and ensure all contractor deliverables meet contractual and technical requirements.
  • Own HSE leadership for the project: lead risk assessments, permit-to-work integration, HAZID/HAZOP/SIL studies, environmental impact controls and ensure compliance with national regulations and company standards.
  • Coordinate interfaces between wells, subsea, topsides, SURF, facilities, reservoirs and production operations to ensure operability, maintainability and safety of the delivered asset or modification.
  • Lead technical reviews, constructability reviews and commissioning planning; ensure FAT/SAT planning is robust, coordinate pre-commissioning and commissioning activities and oversee successful HSE-compliant handover to operations.
  • Facilitate and manage technical integrity, QA/QC, materials management and documentation control (P&IDs, datasheets, inspection/test plans) to satisfy regulatory and company audit requirements.
  • Develop and maintain project risk registers and mitigation plans; facilitate risk workshops, quantify schedule/cost/risk trade-offs and escalate critical risks to sponsors with mitigation and contingency proposals.
  • Drive coordination with regulatory authorities, permitting agencies and local content requirements; manage stakeholder engagement with host communities, joint venture partners and government entities to secure approvals and social license to operate.
  • Lead cross-functional teams including discipline leads (wells, subsea, mechanical, process, civil/structural, electrical & instrumentation), external consultants and vendors to ensure integrated delivery and technical alignment.
  • Manage drilling and well construction interfaces for well programs associated with development projects; coordinate blowout prevention, well control, casing and completion design inputs and logistics for rigs and service companies.
  • Ensure robust change management and lessons-learned processes; capture project learnings, feed continuous improvement into project controls, procurement and delivery practices for subsequent projects.
  • Oversee construction, offshore hook-up and commissioning logistics including marine spread, vessel scheduling, mobilization/demobilization planning and shore-base coordination.
  • Maintain commercial oversight of project contracts: track KPIs, contractual milestones, performance bonds, liquidated damages and disputes; proactively resolve contract issues and claims.
  • Provide leadership for digital and data-driven project tools: ensure accurate project documentation, model management (3D/PLM), and use of project analytics to improve forecasting and decision-making.
  • Drive resource planning, competency assessment and development for the project team; identify training needs, approve specialist hires/consultants and coach team members to deliver project targets.
  • Ensure project deliverables satisfy handover requirements: operations and maintenance manuals, spare parts lists, training, and as-built documentation enabling a safe and efficient transition to steady-state operations.
  • Oversee environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations for the project, including emissions reduction measures, waste management, biodiversity mitigation and community engagement programs.
  • Lead emergency response planning and readiness for project activities; ensure incident reporting, root cause investigation and corrective action closure across all contractors and project personnel.

Secondary Functions

  • Produce and maintain ad-hoc project reports, dashboards and business case inputs to support executive decision-making and board-level approvals.
  • Contribute to asset and corporate development plans, providing technical and commercial input to maximize recovery and economic return of upstream resources.
  • Support tender evaluations and technical due diligence for potential acquisitions, farm-ins, JV arrangements and partnerships.
  • Facilitate cross-asset lessons-learned workshops and contribute to the standardization of project delivery templates, tools and best practices across the organization.
  • Support local content, vendor development and community procurement initiatives to meet regional regulatory and JV commitments.
  • Coordinate with IT and digital teams to implement project workspaces, document repositories and collaboration tools for distributed project teams.
  • Participate in post-project reviews, debriefs and capture of KPIs to refine estimating, scheduling and risk models for future projects.
  • Provide subject-matter expertise during operational incidents affecting project scope or delivery and support root-cause analysis and corrective action plans.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Project Management: Proven ability to manage large-scale upstream projects from FEED through execution to commissioning (EPC/EPCM environment), including PEP and stage-gate governance.
  • Cost & Budget Control: Cost estimating, forecasting, earned value management (EVM) and cost-to-complete analysis with demonstrable track record reducing cost overruns.
  • Scheduling & Planning: Advanced scheduling skills using Primavera P6 or MS Project, critical path analysis, resource levelling and recovery planning.
  • Contracting & Commercial: Strong experience with EPC/EPCM, lump-sum, reimbursable and alliance contract types; tendering, bid evaluation and commercial negotiations.
  • Wells & Drilling Interfaces: Understanding of well construction, directional drilling, completions and rig logistics to integrate well programs into project plans.
  • Subsea & SURF Knowledge: Familiarity with subsea architecture, flexible flowlines, umbilicals, subsea trees, tie-back engineering and installation considerations.
  • HSE & Regulatory Compliance: Competency in HAZOP/HAZID, SIL, permit-to-work systems, environmental impact assessments and regulatory permitting processes.
  • Quality & Integrity Management: QA/QC processes, inspection and test plans (ITPs), vendor surveillance and materials management.
  • Technical Disciplines Awareness: Ability to engage with mechanical, civil/structural, electrical & instrumentation, process and subsea engineering inputs and drawings.
  • Risk Management & Assurance: Risk identification, quantitative/qualitative risk assessment, contingency planning and mitigation implementation.
  • Fabrication & Construction Management: Knowledge of fabrication yard operations, offshore installation techniques, hook-up, commissioning and handover.
  • Procurement & Supply Chain: Strategic sourcing, vendor management, logistics coordination and local content delivery.
  • Digital Tools: Competency with project controls tools, document management (SharePoint/PDMS/SmartPlant), 3D modelling and project analytics dashboards.
  • Contract Claims & Dispute Resolution: Experience managing claims, variations, notice of change procedures and commercial close-out activities.
  • Permitting & Community Liaison: Managing government permitting, environmental compliance and stakeholder/community engagement.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership and people management with ability to lead multidisciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills for executive reporting, contractor negotiation and stakeholder engagement.
  • Influencing and negotiation skills to align JV partners, regulators and contractors around project objectives.
  • Decision-making under uncertainty with a pragmatic, risk-based approach.
  • Problem solving and analytical thinking to resolve technical and commercial challenges.
  • Resilience, adaptability and the ability to operate effectively under pressure in remote/onshore/offshore environments.
  • Collaboration and team building to create high-performance delivery teams.
  • Cultural awareness and diplomacy for international projects and host-country engagement.
  • Coaching and talent development to upskill project teams and successors.
  • Attention to detail and organization for document control, HSE compliance and handover completeness.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Civil/Structural, Electrical & Instrumentation) or equivalent technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Engineering or MBA.
  • Professional certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, NEBOSH, or relevant HSE certification.
  • Industry-specific training: Offshore Survival, Controller of Well Operations, Subsea engineering courses.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Mechanical / Chemical / Civil Engineering
  • Subsea / Ocean Engineering
  • Industrial Project Management
  • Business Administration (MBA)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 8–15 years of progressive experience in upstream oil & gas project delivery, including hands-on roles in engineering, construction or wells.

Preferred:

  • 10+ years managing upstream development projects (onshore and/or offshore) with demonstrable delivery of complex CAPEX projects (well campaigns, tie-backs, platform/FPSO integrations).
  • Experience working in EPC/EPCM contracting environments, joint ventures and with international service providers.
  • Prior exposure to drilling operations, subsea installation, FPSO/floating facilities or fixed platform projects.
  • Track record of managing multi-discipline teams, large budgets (> $50M), and lifecycle project governance including FEED, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover.
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