Halliburton and Nabors Industries have successfully executed the first fully automated surface and subsurface rotary and slide drilling operations in Oman, marking a major milestone in drilling automation. By integrating their digital technologies, the companies delivered a land-based, closed-loop drilling solution designed to boost operational efficiency, consistency, and real-time decision-making.
Their achievement — powered by Halliburton’s LOGIX™ automation and remote operations platform alongside Nabors’ SmartROS® rig operating system — earned them the prestigious 2025 Digital Enabler of the Year Award. This collaboration showcases a new era of seamless drilling execution, real-time data analytics, integrated experience management, and remote operation control.
“We delivered operational efficiency, consistency, and reliability,” said Steve Haden, Senior Vice President of Project Management at Halliburton. “The wells were completed ahead of schedule with higher average rates of penetration and reduced non-productive time. This achievement highlights our leadership in advancing drilling automation.”
Subodh Saxena, Senior Vice President of Canrig and Nabors Drilling Solutions, added: “Our success in Oman demonstrates the strength of collaboration in driving automation across the industry to enhance safety and efficiency. This is only the beginning — we’re excited to keep pushing the boundaries toward fully autonomous drilling.”
The partnership between Halliburton and Nabors in the Middle East has not only optimized drilling performance but also significantly reduced well construction times, setting a new benchmark for future operations.