Beyond the hat, behind the wells

• What’s your job title, and what does it actually mean?  

My job title: Well Integrity Technical Authority (WITA) 

It means that I’m responsible and accountable for the Integrity of all the Wells drilled in Azule (more than 300, including Exploration wells). Loss of Well Integrity represents the highest risk of the company… so being the WITA is an honor and honestly, a huge responsibility!   

• Walk us through a typical day: what’s the first thing you do when you get to work? 

I typically arrive in the office by 7am and the first thing I do is checking for urgent emails and have a look into a couple of essential systems.  

• What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about your role? 

One thing people might be surprised to learn about the role of a Well Integrity Technical Authority is how much of my work is influencing organizational behavior and decision-making, rather than just applying technical expertise. 

While many assume the role is purely engineering-based and focused on technical standards, failure analysis, and barrier verification, the reality is that a WITA often acts as a strategic advisor and internal regulator, guiding leadership, operations, and projects towards safe and sustainable decisions, even when it involves challenging commercially driven choices. 

In essence, they are not just solving problems – it is preventing them by shaping culture and enforcing discipline, often navigating complex dynamics between safety, cost, and operational pressure. 

• What part of your job do you enjoy the most? 

The interaction with so many teams across the company (I’m a people’s person!) and the number of challenges and new opportunities to be creative on a daily basis (sometimes it is overwhelming, but is amazing at the same time) 

• Any fun or memorable work stories? 

Fun: Lots of them… like when the first time the COO went to my desk, I was totally distracted and barefoot and he was there staring at me… (😂)… when I realized he was there (only because my colleague seating by my side said: Nádia, Alister is here) I confess, I almost fainted 😩😅.  

Memorable: When we spent an entire day up to 10pm performing a Risk Assessment that had to be signed by the CEO to safely hand over a well. After the struggle it was such a happy moment to have it secured and in production… 

• What do you listen to during your commute (or while working)? 

Bible voice books 
Preaching/Godly speeches