Physics-AI drilling digital twin among new tech featured at ART Spark Tank

To encourage innovation in the drilling industry, the IADC Advanced Rig Technology (ART) Committee held another Spark Tank on 28 July. Modeled after the TV show “Shark Tank,” the forum allows technology entrepreneurs and emerging companies to pitch their products and ideas to a panel of drilling contractors, operators and service companies (the “sharks”).

In this interview with DC, one of those entrepreneurs, Sai Rao of the startup company drillers.ai, discussed the development of a physics-AI drilling digital twin. This digital twin is a transient wellbore simulator that spans the full hole section sequence, from integrity test interpretation to drilling to running casing and cementing. Dr Rao spoke about what the digital twin entails, where the technology is currently in its development cycle, and how it fits in with a larger vision of creating an AI-native operating system for wells.