IADC Advanced Rig Technology 2025 Conference & Exhibition

07.30 Conference Registration, Coffee Service, Poster Session & Open Exhibition – Sponsored by H&P

07.30 Speaker Briefing
(Conference speakers, session chairs & moderators only)

08.30 Welcome, Introduction & Safety Briefing: Linda Hsieh, Vice President, Editor & Publisher, Drilling Contractor Magazine, IADC

08.40 Keynote Presentation: T.B.N.

09.00 Market Outlook: Jacob Taylor, Director Business Development, Seadrill

09.30 IADC Advanced Rig Technology (ART) Update
IADC ART Committee Co-Chairs & Session Chairs: Trent Martin, Senior Engineer, Transocean & Alex Groh, Data Science Manager, Patterson-UTI

IADC ART Subcommittees have been busy all year focusing on industry issues of high priority to IADC members. This session will provide a brief update on project progress and a synopsis of future plans.

09.45 Health, Safety, and the Environment Session
Session Chair: Rodrigo Rendon, Corporate Head of Business Development, H&P

Enhancing Drilling Safety through Process Automation and Cognitive Load Reduction: Leonardo Nascimento, Sales Manager, NOV, Andre Fernandes, Gabriel Felipe, André Martins, Guilherme Vanni, Petrobras, Wedson Carneiro, Tiago Fadel, Etesco
This study examines the impact of automated drilling control system (ADCS) technology in drilling operations, focusing on reducing cognitive load to enhance safety and efficiency. Using case studies, data analysis, and crew interviews, the research assesses automation’s role in minimizing human error and improving decision-making. Preliminary findings show that ADCS reduces cognitive burden, enhances situational awareness, and standardizes processes across crews. Unlike previous studies, this research integrates human factors analysis with automation, offering a framework to optimize human-machine interactions. The findings provide practical insights for improving safety, training, and operational efficiency in automated drilling systems.

Smart Red Zone Management: Francesco Ferri, Operations Director, Transocean, Jeff Walker, bp
Transocean and bp will jointly describe the processes and technologies adopted to effectively reduce red zone exposure during a recent rig start-up in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Through benchmarking of best practices and live monitoring of a drill floor hazardous area (red zone), a data-driven continuous improvement workflow was established to sustain red zone operating discipline.

Host Authority’s Proactive Steer to Accelerate Decarbonization of Malaysia Rig and Wells Operations Via Collaborations and Innovative Solutions: Ariff Shazni Ibrahim, Staff Well Engineer, Noorazmah Yusoff, M Faisal Rizal Idris, PETRONAS, Jit Chiun, SHELL
The paper will present Malaysia oil and gas landscape, structure of Malaysia Host Authority as a whole and on Wells activities, together with problem statement or background of this strategic initiative. Methodology used, with challenges for Wells GHG emission inventorization and the Baseline parameters and results (for different rig types and activities) will be shared. This includes future enhancement work on refining and continuous validation of the Baseline. The Blueprint details with 5-Year Roadmap and listed solutions for future replications by Drilling industry in Malaysia and globally will also be presented.

10.25 Networking Break, Poster Session & Open Exhibition – Sponsored by H&P

10.55 How can we Leverage Shared Knowledge to Drive Down the Cost of AI tools across our Industry?
Moderator: Robert Van Kuilenburg, Offshore Performance Improvement Manager, Noble Corporation

Automation, AI and related tools are often developed to address the needs of one company, even if those tools cross the boundaries between different players. Developing, validating and maintaining these tools has proven to be costly. How could different players collaborate to leverage experience gained, with the goal of reducing the overall cost of automation and AI for our industry.

Panelists:

• T.B.N.

11.55 Exhibitor Showcase

Exhibitors will share a brief presentation of their products and services.

12.10 Luncheon, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

13.30 Pushing the Edge: Emerging Technologies Transforming the Drilling Landscape
Moderators: Sarah Kern, Industry Affairs Specialist, Principal, H&P & Guido van den Bos, Business Development Director, NOV

As the energy industry advances toward a more automated, efficient, and sustainable future, drilling systems are undergoing a powerful transformation. This session explores the frontier of emerging technologies reshaping the rig, from autonomous systems and machine-driven decision-making to revolutionary mechanical innovations and alternative energy integration.
In this era of rapid change, new technologies are expanding what is possible but also challenging long-held conventions. We are navigating a pivotal moment where innovation outpaces standardization, and bold ideas are being tested against real-world complexity. This session offers a forward-looking view into the technologies driving this transformation – and the dynamic journey from experimental concept to industry standard.

Panelists:

• Zack Stewart, Vice President Sales – Western Hemisphere, NOV
• Jose Ricardo Brigido de Moura Filho, Petrobras
• Azfar Mahmood, Global Product Line Manager, Digital Systems, Expro Americas
• Justin Jones, Graduate Assistant, Texas A&M University

14.30 AI Technical Session
Session Chair: Alex Groh, Data Science Manager, Patterson-UTI

Intelligent Video Analytics applied to BOP Landing and Attachment: Raphael Migoto, Account Executive, Bruno Pianissola, ALTAVE, Yves Nerisson, Max Tocantins, Transocean
This presentation introduces an AI-powered video analytics system to improve blowout preventer (BOP) landing and attachment in ultra-deepwater drilling. Traditionally, operators rely on manual ROV camera feeds, leading to errors, delays, and potential wellhead damage. The new system uses AI to analyze real-time video, providing precise alignment guidance and clear visual feedback to the DPO and driller. Tested across multiple rigs, it reduces operational time, minimizes wellhead damage, and improves communication. The results demonstrate significant gains in efficiency and safety, showcasing the potential of AI to transform complex drilling operations. Future applications and lessons learned will also be discussed.

Using AI for Automatic Man Overboard Detection to enhance rig safety: A Valaris & Zelim Project Case Study: Sam Mayall, Chief Executive Officer, Zelim
This presentation provides an insight into our project with Valaris, where we deployed ZOE, the world’s first AI enabled automatic man overboard detection and alerting system onboard the Valaris Stavanger Jack-Up rig. Now operational in the North Sea for a year, the presentation will reveal how the technology is supporting Valaris marine operations, how the technology detects a person falling off the rig and on the surface of the water, how it compares to traditional watch keeping systems and where we see the technology going to support safer, more secure offshore drilling.

A Transformer-Based Deep-Learning Model to Predict Asset Life and Normalize Asset Performance: Kartik Chaudhari, Machine Learning Lead, Pablo Acosta-Serafini, Russell Whitney, Andy Wang, Prescient Devices
This paper introduces a first-of-kind (FOK) Transformer-based Asset Life Model (ALM). This deep-learning model enables the accurate forecasting of component lifetimes by operating hours, enabling predictive and proactive maintenance workflows. Discussions will include challenges in training, validating, piloting, and scaling such a solution as an augment to a commercially deployed operational digital twin.

Unlocking Tubulars Inspection Certificates with GenAI: Victor Chaves, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Vitor Bootz, Bruna Moura, RIO Analytics
The offshore drilling industry generates vast amounts of inspection data on tubular elements such as drill pipes and BHA components. However, decentralized and unstructured records make data retrieval and analysis challenging. This study presents a GenAI-driven approach to automate the extraction, structuring, and interaction of inspection data from diverse certification formats. By leveraging LLM techniques, a specialized Generative AI-powered chatbot was trained to provide insights on tubular integrity data and service life topics. A case study processing 1,534 drill pipe inspection records from Weatherford and Tuboscope demonstrated real-time identification and wear analysis, enabling optimized risk management and integrity strategies for drilling contractors, operators, and service providers.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Offshore Drilling: How Horizon56 Balances Risks and Rewards: Florian Sold, Innovative Technologies Lead, Josef Nabavi, Craig M. Reid, Horizon56
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the offshore industry, with trust as a key challenge that needs to be addressed through an industry-specific approach. We present the H56 Assist Suite, Horizon56’s innovative solution for implementing AI in offshore drill planning. Our AI-assisted search and plan editing tools emphasize strong human-AI collaboration, adopting best practices from other industries to improve efficiency, safety, and decision-making.

15.30 Networking Break, Poster Session & Open Exhibition – Sponsored by H&P

16.00 Advancing Geothermal: Drilling, Data, and Deployment
Moderator: Dan Gudall, Global Business Development Manager, HMH

From high-temperature wells to closed-loop systems, geothermal energy is evolving. This panel convenes experts in drilling, engineering, and strategy to explore the technologies enabling geothermal to scale — and the gaps that still need closing.

Panelists:

• Pradeepkumar Ashok, Senior Research Scientist, The University of Texas at Austin
• Jordan Oxley, Chief Strategy Officer, North Tech Drilling
• Elliot Howard, Drilling Manager, Fervo Energy
• Scott Farmer, Well Engineering Manager, H&P

17.00 Welcoming Reception, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

07.30 Conference Registration, Coffee Service, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

08.30 Welcome, Introduction & Safety Briefing: Linda Hsieh, Vice President, Editor & Publisher, Drilling Contractor Magazine, IADC

08.40 Keynote Presentation: Sveinn Hannesson, Chief Executive Officer, Iceland Drilling

09.00 Mechanization and Robotics – Bridging the Gap between Automation and Autonomy
Moderator: Trent Martin, Senior Engineer, Transocean

Mechanization and automation are synonymous with drilling both land and offshore. Our panelists will explore some of the latest advances and event industry firsts in rig technology, working to remove our crews from harm’s way. Will robotics and automation intersect to provide autonomous well construction?

Panelists:

• Brandt Lanzet, Product Line Manager – Automation and Robotics, NOV
• Alessandro Pasini, Innovation Manager, Foresea
• Mohd Faisal Rizal Idris, Principal Well Engineer, PETRONAS
• William Ray, Manager – Innovation and Technology, Transocean

10.00 Networking Break, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

10.30 Well Construction Automation – Where Humans and Systems Intersect
Moderators: Blaine Dow, Drilling Domain Head, SLB & Hal Bettis, Rig Specialist, Chevron

Well construction is a series of discreet missions, managed by humans and system interfaces. Automation systems in well construction are designed for specific mission objectives. The intersection of multiple systems can lead to huge success or epic disappointment. This session explores discreet automation systems and how to ensure success when systems intersect.

Panelists:

• Barry Braniff, Managing Director, InteliWell
• Wei Chen, Principal Computational Software Engineer, SLB
• Yuanlin Jiang, Chief Executive Officer, Beijing JJC Technology
• Cody MacDonald, Chief Technology Officer, IPT Global

11.30 Comparison of this Year’s Interactive Audience Response with Previous Years
ART Committee Co-Chairs: Trent Martin, Senior Engineer, Transocean & Alex Groh, Data Science Manager, Patterson-UTI

11.45 Luncheon, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

13.15 Extending Operational Boundaries through Advanced Technologies and Application Methods
Moderators: Konstantin Puskarskij, Partner, Copenhagen Energy Partners & Greg Myers, Director – BOP and Drilling Technology, HMH

This panel will explore groundbreaking technologies and innovative methods spanning the electrification of Blowout Preventer (BOP) and BOP control systems, as well as the rethinking of various aspects of Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) system design and operational enhancement.

Panelists:

• Brian Piccolo, Principal Systems Engineer, HMH
• Matthew Kvalo P.E., Vice President of Engineering & Technology, Stasis Drilling Solutions
• Amine Meziou, Technical Senior Manager, Aquila Engineering
• Rudy Flores, Technical Sales Manager, Enhanced Drilling
• Matthew Givens, Domain Expert – Pressure Control Equipment, SLB

14.15 Well Construction Quality vs Efficiency Session
Session Chair: Rodrigo Rendon, Corporate Head of Business Development, H&P

Driving Safety and Efficiency: Seadrill’s Technological Innovation in Offshore Operations: Johnathan Dady, Director of Rig Innovation and Technology, Seadrill
Seadrill addresses offshore drilling’s technology integration challenges with a distributed, containerized system for rapid sensor deployment. This vendor-agnostic solution enables cost-effective, ad-hoc instrumentation across operational systems, providing near-instant data to existing analytics. By simplifying integration, it overcomes barriers to deploying sensors for enhanced performance monitoring and safety verifications. Initial pilots on switchboards and valves demonstrate its effectiveness. This innovation allows Seadrill to quickly gain valuable data, supporting continuous improvement in safety, efficiency, and sustainability through streamlined technology adoption.

Did we reach TD? How hard can this be?: Blaine Dow, Drilling Domain Head, SLB
Within industry, several methods comparing well complexity across fields and environments, as a means of improving predictability, have been developed.  To date, none have achieved industry scale.  This talk introduces another –  Well Construction Difficulty Index – as a starting point toward collaborating across industry.  The goal is to achieve a universal tool that drives team performance through prioritized well construction challenges.

Automated Drilling Fluid Characterization Enhances Real-time Operational Problem Detection: Rodrigo Yugi Ikuta Tobisawa, Research Engineer, André Leibsohn Martins, Alex Tadeu de Almeida Waldmann, Leonardo Silva Mendes, Petrobras Fabio Rodrigues Gonçalves da Silva, George Loureiro Mendes, Izabella Patrícia Borges Spoladore, ESSS
This presentation aims to highlight the integration of high-quality real-time surface and downhole data with a digital twin to anticipate problems during drilling operations. Two different systems to acquire online real-time density and rheology data were installed at two different offshore rigs operating for PETROBRAS. Results highlight the impact of providing frequent fluid data in predicting downhole conditions and, consequently, the readiness of anticipating drilling problems, avoiding lost times and enhancing process optimization. Good correlation between online and lab data was observed. Gains regarding the automatization of drilling operations, including real-time fluid data and cutting-edge digital twins are presented.

From Silos to Synergy: Enabling Seamless Cross Platform Well Planning Between Operator and Service Company: Thomas Murray, DrillPlan Portfolio Manager, Alisher Shakarov, SLB, Harald Kleivenes, Equinor
Digital well planning requires efficient collaboration between operators and service providers, yet traditional methods for data exchange are slow and error prone. A web-based connector was developed to automate bi-directional data transfer, transforming and publishing contextual and engineering simulation data in seconds—replacing manual processes that previously took days or weeks. This integration improves efficiency, consistency, and quality control, enabling rapid design iteration and concept comparison. The presentation explores the development journey, key challenges, and lessons learned, showcasing the potential to enhance well planning workflows and redefine industry standards.

The Evolution of the Autodriller: Applying Artificial Intelligence to Optimize Parameter Selection: Andrew Creegan, Senior Product Line Manager, Ryan Ireland, Rodrigo Serrano, NOV
An overview of the development, implementation, and continual refinement of an AI powered auto driller system. Described is the design philosophy of such a system to enable it to most accurately emulate the actions of a skilled human driller and make rapid adjustments to the drilling parameter set. Lessons learned have further optimized the underlying algorithms to deliver a system that consistently out drills its human counterparts. Examined further are those lessons, their limitations, and the expansion of this concept to deepen our capability to automate the drilling optimization process.

15.15 Networking Break, Poster Session & Open Exhibition

15.45 Drilling Smarter, Not Harder – Panel on Artificial Intelligence
Moderator: Alex Groh, Data Science Manager, Patterson-UTI

This panel seeks to explore the industry’s use of artificial intelligence and how it is impacting safety, automation, and efficiency. Through short presentations followed by in-depth discussion, we will gain a deeper sense of how this technology is changing the way we approach our operations, what has and has not worked as we build more intelligent systems, and how the future might unfold for this rapidly developing area.

Panelists:

• Todd Fox, Director of Product Management, H&P
• Mohamed Znaidi, AI/ML Engineer, Aquila Engineering
• Diego Mercadal, Chief Operating Officer, Wonder DataLabs
• Christopher Christopher, Senior Product Development Manager, Patterson-UTI

16.45 Recap & Adjournment
ART Committee Co-Chairs: Trent Martin, Senior Engineer, Transocean & Alex Groh, Data Science Manager, Patterson-UTI

Case Study – Innovative Advanced Rig Design for P&A Operations on Fixed Platforms: Pietro Seccaspina, Sales Area Manager – Europe, Drillmec, Trond Skjeie, Archer
This case study presents a modular Plug & Abandonment (P&A) Unit designed for three different offshore platforms, addressing technical, economic, and environmental challenges in decommissioning. The unit integrates automation, compact design, and digitalization to enhance efficiency and safety while minimizing environmental impact. It overcomes spatial constraints and ensures compliance with HSE regulations. The study highlights key engineering challenges and solutions, balancing feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability across different platform configurations.

Drilling Efficiency Improvement through the use of a Continuous Circulation System: Piervittorio Salicante, Global Product Champion, Halliburton
Presentation will guide the audience through the story, from identifying the technology to overcome the specific drilling challenges, through the engineering process used to design and select the required service to perform the operations, till the end results. Analyzing the objective data that brought to a significant 58% reduction in total connection time together with increased ROP, avoided well influx, no pipe stuck events and improved drilling efficiency in the uncommon upper hole sections of this drilling campaign.

Energy Efficiency in Dynamic Positioning Operation: Adriano Reis, Innovation Coordinator, Miguel Soares Malafaia, Cristiano Venancio Xavier, Henrique Eduardo de Souza Pereira, Andre Branco de Menezes Rafael da Silva, Bruno Luiz Barbosa das Chagas, Caio Jose de Almeida Fontoura, Foresea, Guilherme Antonio Aguiar Pessanha Santos, Lucas Oliveira de Moura, Brunel
This presentation discusses how vessel heading choices in variable wind, wave and current conditions can either positively or negatively impact a vessel’s overall power consumption. An analytical method for determining the combined hydrodynamic and aerodynamic forces acting on a ship is discussed, which will lead to the derivation of a heading that minimizes net force. It puts into perspective the quantification and comparison of power demands for actual versus optimal headings, to underpin the possible savings in fuel and operational costs. By emphasizing the underlying mathematical relationships among heading, wind, waves and current, and power requirements, we offer practical insights for the vessel dynamic position planning by using the data from weather forecast, which means to ensure the gains for the optimal vessel heading, not only energy efficiency but also operational safety.

Strategies for Enhancing Power System Resilience to Enable Adoption of Improved Generator Management Technologies: Marcel Snijder van Wissenkerke, Senior Manager Product Development, Jonathan Harrist, Patterson-UTI
Generator management technologies including automation and energy storage systems improve efficiency and reduce emissions on drilling rigs by operating fewer generators. However, reducing the number of generators online also reduces redundancy in the critical power systems infrastructure, which can introduce additional operational risk. This risk has proven to be one of the more significant challenges to adoption of technology. To mitigate this risk, operators must take steps to improve the resilience of the power system. Strategies will be presented that can identify and prevent issues before they occur and address real-time issues, preventing any increase in power system limitations.