Production Optimizer

Job Family Group:

Job Description:

bpx energy, a major oil and gas producer in the United States, leverages its expertise in unconventional gas, including shale, to deliver hydrocarbon production and technical knowledge worldwide. With operations in Texas and Louisiana, our US onshore business has become both a premier oil and gas producer and a leader in reducing methane emissions. 

As part of BP, a global industry leader, we foster a high-energy, high-intensity environment built on accountability, collegiality, innovation, and empowerment. At bpx, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and challenging environment where safety, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and teamwork are valued. 

Discover your place with us and help our business meet the challenges of reimagining and reinventing the future of energy. 

Production Optimizer 

Role Synopsis 

We are seeking a highly motivated, self-starting Production Optimizer with a growth mindset and a track record of extraordinary delivery in a dynamic work environment. The Production Optimizer is a self-directed, operations-focused professional who uses real-time data, production surveillance, AI-enabled insights, and sound technical judgment to maintain safe and reliable operations and identify production optimization opportunities. The role works across business units and partners closely with field operations, Artificial Lift Specialists, production engineering, automation, measurement, midstream, digital teams, and other support teams. This position works a 7-on / 7-off rotation consisting of 12-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays as scheduled. Success requires ownership, clear communication, disciplined follow-through, digital fluency, and the ability to prioritize effectively in a dynamic control-room environment. 

Key Accountabilities 

• Monitor wells, facilities, compressors, and production systems using CygNet/SCADA, PI Vision, Power BI, Ranger, mapping tools, and other approved systems. 

• Triage, validate, and respond to alarms based on risk and operational priority; resolve remotely when authorized or promptly escalate to the appropriate field or technical resource. 

• Identify underperforming wells, abnormal trends, artificial lift inefficiencies, flow constraints, communication failures, and production deferment drivers. 

• Execute approved remote setpoint changes, which may include auto-choke, gas lift injection, plunger lift, rod lift, ESP, compressor, intermitter cycle, and ramp-up or ramp-down adjustments. 

• Document surveillance findings, setpoint changes, troubleshooting actions, decisions, handoffs, and outcomes in the designated systems using standardized notes. 

• Create and manage actionable priorities in Ranger or the approved work-prioritization tool; drive recommendations through acknowledgement, execution, validation, or escalation. 

• Coordinate closely with production technicians, lead technicians, foremen, Artificial Lift Specialists, production engineers, automation, measurement, maintenance, and midstream during normal operations and operational upsets. 

• Partner with LTI Operations Support Center personnel in India to maintain consistent surveillance, alarm-management, dispatch, documentation, and optimization workflows across shifts. 

• Provide technical coaching, knowledge sharing, and operational support to LTI team members in India while promoting standardized work practices and clear accountability across locations. 

• Complete disciplined cross-shift handoffs with the LTI team to maintain continuity of operational coverage, priority work, active troubleshooting, and required follow-up. 

• Provide clear shift turnover and area updates so outstanding risks, deferred production, watch-list wells, and required follow-up are visible to the next responsible party. 

• Support dispatch and route prioritization by communicating the highest-value and highest-risk work clearly and confirming ownership of next actions. 

• Review production and deferment coding for accuracy, communicate discrepancies, and support timely correction by the responsible owner. 

• Quantify production impact where practical, validate results after changes, and communicate whether the action produced the intended outcome. 

• Participate in alarm rationalization, workflow standardization, remote-operations expansion, automation, and continuous-improvement initiatives. 

• Maintain strong working relationships with field teams through consistent communication, operational alignment, and periodic field exposure as required. 

• Follow operating procedures, control-of-work boundaries, escalation protocols, cybersecurity requirements, and all safety and environmental expectations. 

• Drive optimization opportunities through execution, follow-up, and validation to achieve measurable production impact where practical. 

• Help reduce avoidable downtime, production deferment, repeat alarms, and unnecessary field dispatches through proactive surveillance and disciplined troubleshooting. 

• Partner with engineering, automation, digital, and data teams to improve AI-enabled surveillance, alarm management, predictive analytics, and optimization solutions. 

• Support the advancement of autonomous operations, remote optimization capabilities, and digital oilfield initiatives through workflow development, testing, implementation support, and continuous improvement. 

• Evaluate AI-generated recommendations using production data, operational context, field knowledge, and sound judgment before recommending or executing an action. 

• Utilize advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and decision-support tools to identify optimization opportunities, prioritize work, and improve production performance. 

Essential Experience & Education 

• EchoMeter experience and downhole troubleshooting expertise. 

• Extensive well optimization experience, including proven optimization strategies. 

• Experience with data visualization tools, including Power BI and Power Apps. 

• Experience retrieving data using SQL queries and a fundamental understanding of SQL database architecture. 

• 5 years relevant experience in oil and gas operations, production surveillance, artificial lift, control-room operations, SCADA, automation, or a closely related technical environment. 

• Ability to interpret production trends, pressures, rates, equipment status, alarms, and operational notes to identify abnormal conditions and appropriate next steps. 

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple issues, make sound decisions within defined authority, and communicate clearly under time pressure. 

• Proficiency with digital tools and the ability to learn new operational systems quickly. 

• Strong written documentation, shift-handover, teamwork, and follow-through skills. 

• Willingness and ability to work the posted shift schedule, including weekends and holidays when required by the role. 

Preferred Skills 

• Understanding of the oil and gas industry. 

• Proven experience using statistical analysis to solve problems. 

• An empathetic, asset-focused approach to developing visualization tools, with the ability to listen effectively and create intuitive tools that generate clear business value and improve the end-user experience. 

• Ability to communicate concisely and accurately across the organization, from data scientists to field personnel. 

• A growth mindset with a proven ability to learn and adapt quickly. 

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, data analytics, business, science, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience. 

• Experience with CygNet or another SCADA platform, PI Vision/AVEVA PI, Power BI, Ranger, ArcGIS, SQL, or comparable tools. 

• Working knowledge of gas lift, plunger lift, PAGL/GAPL, rod lift, ESP systems, compression, production facilities, measurement, and midstream constraints. 

• Experience with root-cause troubleshooting, alarm management, production deferment analysis, data visualization, or statistical problem solving. 

• Experience working across centralized and field-based teams in a 24/7 operating environment. 

• Familiarity with autonomous operations concepts, optimization algorithms, and responsible use of AI-generated recommendations in an operational environment. 

• Experience using AI-enabled applications, machine learning, predictive analytics, digital oilfield technologies, or automated decision-support systems. 

Core Competencies  

• Extreme ownership and accountable follow-through 

• Safety-first operational judgment 

• Real-time surveillance and situational awareness 

• Technical troubleshooting and structured escalation 

• Clear, concise, and actionable communication 

• Data-driven decision making and production-impact awareness 

• Collaboration across Operations, Engineering, Midstream, and support functions 

• Continuous improvement, curiosity, and willingness to challenge inefficient workflows 

• Digital fluency with data visualization, automation, analytics, and AI-assisted tools 

• Curiosity and adaptability toward emerging technologies and changing workflows 

• Ability to leverage AI-enabled insights while applying sound operational judgment 

Location & Schedule 

• Victoria, Karnes, Yorktown Texas 

• 7 days on / 7 days off 

Compensation & Benefits 

Base Pay Range: $98,000 - $115,000 - $132,000 USD annually 

Note that the pay range listed for this position is a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible base compensation at the time of posting. 

We offer a reward and wellbeing package designed to support your life both inside and outside of work. Benefits may include: 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 

• Paid time off 

• Discretionary annual bonus program 

• Long-term incentive program 

• 401(k) matching program 

Legal Authorization Requirements 

• Must be legally authorized to work full-time in the United States for any employer other than your current employer. 

• Must not require sponsorship now or in the future for employment visa status, such as H-1B, TN, etc. 

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other employment benefits and privileges. Please contact us to request accommodations. 

Travel Requirement:

Relocation Assistance:

Remote Type:

Skills:

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Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.