NOV pushes automation boundaries with deployment of robotics system on Canadian land rig
Last year, NOV worked with Precision Drilling to deploy a robotic drilling system on a land rig in Canada. The system consisted of three robotic arms, an integrated control system, and upgraded instrumentation on existing equipment to ensure seamless handoffs throughout the drilling process. The technologies enabled field personnel to focus on what Graham Dey, VP of Product Management at NOV, termed “higher value” operational tasks by automating repeatable and potentially hazardous activities on the rig, such as tripping pipe and tailing casing.
In this interview from the 2025 IADC World Drilling Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on 10 June, Mr Dey talked about the ways in which the system enables more consistent execution of critical drilling operations, as well as the strategic considerations NOV had to factor in when developing the system.
