An operator and SLB successfully drilled a 2,695.5-m 12¼-in section, integrating full rig automation and autonomous, on-bottom directional drilling capabilities. Rate of penetration (ROP) increased 60%, with an instant ROP of 80 m/h. Nearly 100% of the section was autonomously controlled, and 1,100 m was drilled within 24 hours.

An operator in South America wanted to integrate surface and downhole automation with autonomous systems on an offshore platform to fully drill a 12¼-in well section. The objective was to improve efficiency, safety, and cost effectiveness using the SLB autonomous drilling capabilities, which would mean no or minimal human intervention.

The BHA components were enhanced with the Neuro™ autonomous solutions, and the DrillOps™ on-target well delivery solution and DrillPilot™ equipment sequencing software were integrated. The DrillPilot software administered equipment sequence automation for tubular handling and connections, repetitive tasks, and runs in and out of hole. This delivered consistent operations without personnel in hazardous zones, significantly improving the safety of operations.

The DrillOps and Neuro solutions enabled digitalizing each step of the on-bottom drilling to determine the steering needed to achieve the desired well trajectory and parameters to optimize ROP and energy management. This yielded a more than 60% increase in ROP, an instant ROP of 80 m/h, and a single-stand net ROP of 73.2 m/h.

More than 95% of the 2,695.5-m section was autonomously controlled—66 out of 69 downlinks were autonomous. Within 24 hours, 1,100 m was drilled, and the operator achieved optimal wellbore positioning with a 1.58-m center to center from the planned trajectory.

Overall, this achievement is a substantive step toward fully autonomous drilling operations, seamlessly integrating rig automation with on-bottom drilling operations and directional drilling.