Leveraging Drilling Automation to Scale-Up Digital Drilling in Oil & Gas in One of the Industry's Largest Projects

The deployment of SLB's drilling automation system (DAS) in Saudi Arabia represents the largest implementation of autonomous drilling technology globally, revolutionizing digital drilling and enabling the transition from manual to digital operations. This paper will discuss the technical, operational and strategic aspects of the deployment, highlighting integration challenges and the impact on drilling efficiency and HSE. The objective is to provide insights into the complexities of large-scale drilling automation while offering a roadmap for future implementations in high-performance environments. The drilling automation system runs on a local stack instead of a fully cloud-based system, ensuring compatibility with Saudi-specific requirements. Our intelligent planning platform generates the digital drilling program, which is uploaded to the local stack and then ingested into the DAS. This approach ensured the solution was customized to meet local requirements. The deployment followed a structured process, beginning with rig surveys to assess readiness and define modifications. Hardware installation and system configuration were completed, followed by commissioning through rigorous testing and troubleshooting. The final phase involved on-site hyper-care to ensure stable operation and optimize automation execution. The deployment of the DAS in Saudi Arabia spanned 11 deep-drilling rigs (2,500 HP) designed for gas production, handling complex well profiles including ERD wells. The system automated key operations such as pre-connection, on-bottom drilling and post-connection sequences significantly improving operational efficiency. One major challenge was integrating the DAS across three distinct rig-control systems (NOV, Cameron and HH), each requiring unique adaptations. Frequent system updates added complexity, demanding real-time troubleshooting and continuous refinement. Another key challenge was shifting the client's mindset from conventional automation to multi-workflow autonomy, requiring extensive education on performance metrics and system benefits. The project also faced pressure to deliver rapid results despite being in an early stage, necessitating a balance between short-term wins and long-term optimization. Ultimately, the DAS demonstrated its potential to transform drilling operations, reducing human intervention, improving HSE conditions and optimizing well delivery. The insights gained from this deployment highlight the best practices for large-scale automation rollouts, emphasizing the importance of robust integration strategies, stakeholder alignment and iterative system enhancements to maximize automation benefits. This paper presents the first large-scale deployment of a Multi-Workflow Autonomy DAS in a high-performance environment. It offers new insights into overcoming integration complexities, managing stakeholder expectations and optimizing automation efficiency in real-time drilling operations. By sharing lessons learned, best practices and future development pathways, this study provides valuable guidance for industry professionals seeking to implement and scale autonomous drilling solutions.