H&P deploys FlexRobotics on Permian rig

In August 2025, H&P deployed Rig 618 to the Permian Basin for a planned spud at the end of the month. The rig was recently installed with the company’s FlexRobotics package, which utilizes robotic arms integrated with an automation application to handle a broad range of rig floor tasks in place of a human, including pipe handling and doping. It is the first rig in the company to commercially deploy with the package and the first rig in the Lower 48 to operate with an industrial robotics package, according to the company.

In this interview shot from Rig 618 prior to its deployment, Todd Fox, Director – Project Management at H&P, and Andrew Rose, Principle Project Engineer at H&P, discussed the implementation of the robotics package and what H&P hopes to accomplish with automation on the rig. They also spoke about the value human rig crews will continue to play even as automated systems become more prevalent in their operations.

Look out for our feature in the September/October 2025 print/digital edition of DC discussing the genesis of the H&P robotics project and the development of the robotic arms.

NOTE: The rig floor and surrounding area and equipment were shut down and in a safe state during the video; therefore, safety glasses were not required during the interviews.