Guyana drilling surges as ExxonMobil and Halliburton deliver first fully automated closed-loop well placement

March 18 (oilnow.gy) Halliburton and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited have completed the industry’s first fully automated closed-loop well placement offshore Guyana, the companies said in a March 16 release. The project was carried out with Sekal, Noble, and the Wells Alliance Guyana team.

The automated workflow links geological data, well placement decisions, and rig control systems in real time, removing the traditional separation between subsurface interpretation and drilling execution.

Jim Collins, Vice President at Halliburton Sperry Drilling, said the system “creates 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.”

The system placed roughly 470 meters of lateral well section within the reservoir, reduced tripping time by about 33%, and completed the reservoir section roughly 15% ahead of plan. The companies said it “establish[es] a new benchmark for well construction performance, reservoir contact, and execution efficiency,” while also steering the well within reservoir boundaries and autonomously optimizing drilling and tripping operations.

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

Since 2023, U.S. oil major ExxonMobil has been advancing a 35-well offshore campaign in Guyana, a large-scale initiative focused on exploration and appraisal within the Stabroek Block to expand oil and gas resources. Running through 2028, the campaign aims to identify new discoveries and better define the region’s potential, driving substantial new drilling activity.

ExxonMobil operates Guyana’s Stabroek Block with a 45% stake, with co-venturers Hess 30%, and CNOOC 25%. The Stabroek Block’s estimated resource base is approximately 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources.