North Sea pilot marks milestone in offshore drilling automation

Pilot shows offshore automation tools can work together, pointing to faster, safer and lower-emission operations

22 Aug 2025

A North Sea pilot has demonstrated for the first time that competing offshore drilling automation systems can operate under a single orchestration layer, marking a milestone in efforts to modernise rig operations and reduce emissions.

The trial, conducted offshore Norway and published in August 2025, connected multiple vendors’ advisory and control tools to a rig’s central control system through an orchestration platform. The system coordinated recommendations to avoid conflicts and delivered more consistent execution, according to the project report.

Offshore operators have long faced barriers created by incompatible technologies. In the pilot, the orchestrator ran on an edge device using the OPC UA data standard to link independent applications for vibration control, hole cleaning, hydraulics and trajectory. These inputs were combined into a single real time safe operating zone. Drillers could select between shadow, advisory or active modes and retain manual control if needed. Field work on two wells, with 8½in and 6in sections, concluded in July 2024.

Industry participants say interoperability could reduce vendor lock-in, improve planning and lower operational risk. By stabilising drilling parameters and cutting non-productive time, orchestration could reduce vessel days and fuel use, directly improving safety and emissions.

Business practices may also shift. While day rate contracts remain dominant, operators are testing performance-based models tied to speed and consistency. Wider adoption of interoperable systems could accelerate that trend, though uptake remains limited.

Unresolved issues include data ownership, cybersecurity and liability for automated recommendations. The cost of integrating multiple third party applications also poses challenges.

Despite these obstacles, the pilot indicates that multi-vendor automation is feasible on live rigs. The approach supports broader North Sea goals to enhance efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of offshore drilling.