Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Upstream Technician Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Upstream Technician Specialist is a hands‑on field professional responsible for executing and supporting upstream oil & gas activities at wellsites and production facilities. This role ensures safe and efficient drilling, completion, well intervention, well testing and early production operations by operating and maintaining mechanical and electrical equipment, executing testing and sampling programs, coordinating service vendors, and enforcing HSE and regulatory standards. The Upstream Technician Specialist is the primary technical contact on site for routine troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, and real‑time data collection to support production optimization and engineering decision‑making.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Technician / Rig Hand with 1–3 years experience
Wireline or Coil Tubing Operator transitioning to multi‑discipline field roles
Junior Wellsite/Production Operator or Mechanical Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Upstream Technician / Wellsite Lead
Completions or Well Intervention Supervisor
Production Optimization Engineer / Field Operations Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Facilities Technician / Surface Operations Specialist
HSE Advisor or Permit‑to‑Work Coordinator
Asset Integrity / Corrosion Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Execute wellsite setup and rig up/rig down activities for drilling, completions and intervention jobs, ensuring all equipment is installed, function‑tested and commissioned according to job plans and manufacturer specifications.
Operate and maintain surface equipment including BOPs, choke manifolds, pumps, circulating systems, separators and testing skids; perform pre‑shift and post‑shift inspections and document equipment condition.
Carry out well control and pressure control operations in accordance with IWCF/Well Control training, intervene during kicks or abnormal well behavior, and coordinate with rig/crew to stabilize the well.
Lead logistically complex well testing and flowback programs: install flowlines, configure test separators, collect and log liquids and gas samples, and ensure accurate measurement and reporting of volumes and rates.
Perform routine and preventive maintenance on electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems (valves, actuators, CP systems, instrumentation) to maximize uptime and reduce non‑productive time (NPT).
Install, troubleshoot and calibrate downhole and surface instrumentation and telemetry systems (pressure/temperature gauges, packers, downhole gauges, DAS/MWD/LWD interfaces) to ensure data integrity for engineering analysis.
Conduct well intervention operations (wireline, coiled tubing, slickline) in collaboration with service companies, including rigging for operations, tool handling, downhole tool testing, and job execution oversight.
Support completions operations: assemble and install downhole completion equipment, perforating runs, fracturing support, setting packers/slotted liners and deploying downhole sensors.
Monitor real‑time wellsite data and SCADA feeds; log anomalies, perform first‑level diagnostics and escalate issues with detailed incident reports and recommended corrective actions.
Enforce and promote HSE standards: lead toolbox talks, maintain permit‑to‑work documentation, manage job safety analyses (JSAs), and ensure all activities comply with company and regulatory safety protocols.
Coordinate and manage third‑party service providers on site, ensuring scope, performance, and safety expectations are met; verify service documentation and supplier certifications.
Perform routine sampling and fluid characterization (reservoir fluids, produced water, condensate), prepare chain‑of‑custody documentation and liaise with laboratories for timely analysis.
Implement corrosion monitoring and chemical injection support (scale inhibitor, corrosion inhibitor, demulsifier dosing), perform sampling and adjust treatment programs per chemist/engineer guidance.
Execute leak detection, containment and emergency response activities; maintain spill kits, conduct drills and update emergency response plans for wells and facilities.
Maintain accurate operational logs, daily reports and shift handovers; prepare detailed wellsite reports, failure analyses and lessons learned for continuous improvement.
Oversee inventory and logistics for field spares, consumables and tooling; ensure critical spares are maintained, tracked and available to minimize downtime.
Support well abandonment and P&A (plug and abandonment) operations, including running cement plugs, verification testing and regulatory reporting.
Validate and commission new equipment and temporary facilities, perform FAT/SAT coordination and ensure documentation and certificates are filed and compliant.
Apply root cause analysis on equipment and operational failures; propose corrective and preventive actions and follow through with implementation and verification.
Operate and maintain electrical generators, transfer switches and site power distribution ensuring uninterrupted power to critical wellsite systems.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis for production trends, well performance and equipment reliability metrics to enable informed engineering decisions.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by ensuring field data quality, metadata tagging and timely upload of datasets to central repositories.
Collaborate with business units to translate field observations and data needs into engineering requirements for reliability, asset performance and production optimization projects.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering or operations excellence teams to prioritize field instrumentation and data capture improvements.
Provide training and mentoring to junior technicians and new hires on standard operating procedures, wellsite equipment and safe working practices.
Review and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists and technical manuals based on field experience and regulatory changes.
Participate in prejob planning and HAZOP/PHA sessions to identify operational risks and mitigation strategies for complex interventions and high‑pressure activities.
Support regulatory inspections and audits by preparing documentation, demonstrating operational controls and implementing corrective action plans.
Assist engineering teams during start‑up, commissioning and ramp‑up phases by providing field knowledge, troubleshooting and execution support.
Maintain certification and training records (BOSIET, HUET, First Aid, H2S, IWCF) and ensure the team remains qualified and compliant for offshore or remote operations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Wellsite operations: drilling, completions, well testing, flowback and well intervention (wireline, coil tubing, slickline) experience.
Well control competency (IWCF or equivalent) with hands‑on BOP, choke and well pressure management experience.
Familiarity with surface production equipment: separators, test manifolds, pumps, meters and flow measurement (orifice, turbine, Coriolis).
Instrumentation and control: pressure/temperature sensors, transmitters, SCADA/RTU configuration, data acquisition and basic PLC troubleshooting.
Mechanical and hydraulic systems maintenance including valve actuation, power packs, hydraulic hoses and pump systems.
Electrical fundamentals: generator operation, transfer switches, motor start systems and safe isolation procedures.
Sampling and laboratory interface: reservoir and production fluid sampling, chain‑of‑custody, basic fluid property interpretation.
Preventive/predictive maintenance practices, use of CMMS, and basic reliability engineering concepts.
Knowledge of HSE systems, permit‑to‑work processes, HAZOP, PHA and emergency response procedures.
Regulatory and industry standards familiarity (API, ISO, local petroleum regulations) and vendor document/certification control.
Corrosion monitoring and chemical injection program support with understanding of treatment strategies.
Use of field software tools for data logging, job reporting, and remote monitoring platforms.
Root cause analysis and incident investigation techniques (5 Whys, fishbone, RCA facilitation).
Rigging, lifting and confined space competencies with appropriate certifications.

Soft Skills

Strong situational awareness and decision‑making under pressure in high‑risk environments.
Clear written and verbal communication for shift handovers, reporting and cross‑functional coordination.
Leadership and team coaching to mentor junior staff and manage third‑party contractor performance.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for maintaining logs, permits and maintenance records.
Proactive problem solving and continuous improvement mindset focused on reducing NPT and optimizing operations.
Adaptability and resilience to work in remote, offshore or rotating shift patterns.
Customer‑facing skills to liaise with operators, engineers and external service providers professionally.
Cultural sensitivity and teamwork for global or multi‑disciplinary project environments.
Time management and prioritization to balance safety, regulatory compliance and operational objectives.
Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret field data and recommend practical solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or equivalent with technical/vocational training; demonstrated field experience in upstream operations.

Preferred Education:
Associate degree, Technical Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Technology, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Process Technology, or equivalent.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Petroleum Technology / Petroleum Engineering
Mechanical or Electrical Engineering Technology
Process Technology / Operations Technology
Instrumentation and Control / Industrial Maintenance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8 years in upstream field operations (drilling, completions, well testing, or production operations)

Preferred: 5+ years as a field technician/operator with documented experience across wellsite operations, well control, and vendor coordination. Proven track record of working on onshore and/or offshore rigs, strong HSE record, and applicable certifications (IWCF/Well Control, BOSIET for offshore, H2S, First Aid, relevant equipment/vendor training).