New taxonomy incorporates drilling-specific complexities into automated systems

Drilling systems automation involves multiple agents and components delivering various functions at different levels of automation. Current taxonomies of the data input into automation systems do not fully address the complexities commonly seen in drilling operations, and there is a need to better classify these complexities in order to create truly autonomous systems, said John de Wardt, Founder of De Wardt and Company.

In this video interview from the 2024 IADC/SPE International Drilling Conference in Galveston, Texas, on 7 March, Mr de Wardt discusses a paper he co-authored outlining the development of a taxonomy applicable to drilling systems automation. This taxonomy distinguishes the multiple agents working in a complex drilling environment, which he said can help reduce the chance of miscommunication among different agents.