ExxonMobil and Halliburton achieve world’s first fully closed-loop automated geological well placement in Guyana

Halliburton, in collaboration with ExxonMobil, Sekal, Noble, and the Wells Alliance Guyana team, delivered a groundbreaking step forward in digital well construction to achieve the industry’s first fully automated geological well placement with complete rig automation in offshore Guyana. The project combined rig automation, automated subsurface interpretation and well placement, and real-time hydraulics to establish a new benchmark for well construction performance, reservoir contact, and execution efficiency. This achievement advances the FutureWell initiative in the Wells Alliance Guyana effort by unifying subsurface insight, automation, and rig systems to improve execution.

Halliburton used LOGIX™ orchestration and automated geosteering with the EarthStar® ultra-deep resistivity service and Sekal’s DrillTronics® to create an integrated closed-loop system. The system steers the well within reservoir boundaries and autonomously optimizes drilling and tripping operations. Real-time optimization algorithms and geological inversion data inform automated rig control, hydraulics, and well placement within a single workflow to eliminate the traditional separation between subsurface interpretation and drilling execution.

Our teams create new performance levels when subsurface insight, automation, and drilling systems operate through one closed-loop automation system. This breakthrough digital orchestration transforms execution efficiency and advances automated well construction from concept to field-proven results and sets the foundation for consistent well placement in the best rock every time.

- Jim Collins, vice president, Halliburton Sperry Drilling

“This achievement demonstrates how collaboration and advanced automation can transform well construction efficiency and reliability,” said Rod Henson, vice president, Wells, ExxonMobil. “It represents a significant step forward for Guyana’s energy development and the industry’s digital future.”

Halliburton’s LOGIX™ orchestration platform, together with Sekal’s DrillTronics solution, surpassed performance expectations. The reservoir section was completed approximately 15% ahead of schedule, while tripping operations reduced time by around 33%. These results highlight measurable efficiency gains from closed-loop automation beyond conventional drilling processes. The system also maintained precise well placement under challenging conditions, successfully positioning around 470 meters of the lateral section within the reservoir through active automated geosteering and continuous inclination adjustments during operations.