DRILLBITS
Monthly eNewsletter from the IADC

The SPE DSATS / IADC ART Symposium titled “Trends in Well Construction Automation – where will we push the envelope, if at all?” is open for registration.

Event Information

• Date: 6 March 2023
• Time: 13:00 – 17:00 (followed by reception)
• Location: Stavanger, Norway
• Venue: The Stavanger Forum

About the Symposium

Each year DSATS and ART combine to stage a half-day symposium addressing a theme relating to the automation of drilling rigs and well construction. The symposium precedes the 2023 SPE/IADC International Drilling Conference & Exhibition with stand-alone registration. Seating is limited to 100.

DSATS is the Drilling Systems Automation Technical Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). Their purpose is to accelerate the development and implementation of systems automation in the well drilling industry by supporting initiatives that communicate the technology, recommend best practices, standardize nomenclature and help define the value of drilling systems automation. ​

ART is the Advanced Rig Technology Committee of the International Association of Drilling Contractors. Their mission is to improve safety and efficiency through sound operating procedures, design of automated systems and standardizing automation.​

According to John de Wardt, Director Emeritus of DSATS and President of DE WARDT AND CO,

The trend in drilling systems automation is machine automation of rig and third party drilling equipment, coupled with interoperable advisory systems and remote operations. Early systems include automated trajectory drilling, drilling optimisation, and wellbore protection applications. Related developments are measurement automation, such as automated mud measurement systems, automated decoding of MWD / LWD signals and the semantics of real-time signals. The business drivers are efficiency improvements, process safety, cognitive reduction on drillers and assistant drillers and improved well control monitoring.

Attention is now moving to well bore quality as it impacts completion and production. Drilling is only one aspect of the well construction process, and remote operations with automation may push the automation envelope to include other aspects of well construction, such as completions, wellbore intervention and P&A operations. Automation also plays a role in well construction for geothermal, and for carbon capture and storage, and in the attraction of new talent into well construction.

A group of industry panelists will explore these technology trends, their barriers, their business drivers, their impact, and the commercial opportunities they may or may not represent.

Symposium Itinerary

This symposium contains the annual meeting of SPE DSATS and an update from the IADC ART Committee.

A Keynote Interview of Ryan Dawson, CEO/Founder of Corva, will be conducted by Jennifer Presley, Senior Technology Editor of SPE JPT.

The following panelists will each present, followed by a debate moderated by Jennifer Presley:

• Arnfinn Groette – AkerBP, Manager Drilling & Wells Digitalisation
• Pradeep Annaiyappa – Nabors Industries, Senior Director
• Joop Rodenburg – Huisman, President
• Erik Zachariasen – StimLine, CTO
• Knut Inge Dahlberg – Baker Hughes, Global Manager P&A

This event is brought to you by a special committee led by David Curry, DSATS Program Chair Europe:

• John de Wardt, DSATS Director Emeritus
• John Macpherson, DSATS Director Emeritus
• Austin Groover, DSATS Chair Symposiums and Special Sessions
• Michael Edwards, D-WIS
• Nathan Moralez, ART Subcommittee Chair Data, Controls and Sensors

For more information or questions regarding the 2023 SPE DSATS / IADC ART Symposium, feel free to contact committee members David Curry or John de Wardt via LinkedIn.