OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy producer in Southeast Europe, is running a new drilling campaign using a state-of-the-art automated drilling rig owned by Foraj Sonde Videle. The campaign initially focuses on several fields in Oltenia, Muntenia and Moldova, with plans to continue within the OMV Petrom portfolio. The objective of the campaign is to contribute new resources from mature fields while improving the safety and efficiency of drilling operations. To date, two new gas wells have been completed on time and on budget with increased efficiency compared to traditional methods.

“The new technologies help us increase the efficiency of production from mature deposits and contribute to minimizing the impact on the environment. We are very proud, together with our colleagues from OMV and our partner, Foraj Sonde Videle, to use one of the most energy efficient drilling installations onshore in the world,” said Cristian Hubati, member of the OMV Petrom Directorate, responsible for Exploration and Production activities.

The automated drilling rig is a product of OMV’s DigitUP digitization program and underlines the synergy between OMV and OMV Petrom. It integrates innovative thinking with operational excellence.

The rig is manufactured in the Netherlands by Huisman, a highly innovative company that designs, manufactures and maintains equipment for the world’s leading companies in the renewable energy, oil and gas and other industries. Automation of extractive activity reduces human error while improving the efficiency and safety of drilling operations because operators can monitor and control drilling operations remotely. The central electric power system ensures improved fuel efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint.

The rig is designed to meet today’s demand for faster and more flexible operations – it is a highly mobile rig capable of moving quickly between multiple wells on a rig and between different locations. During operation, the system collects a large amount of data about the drilling process, which is analyzed to improve production efficiency and prevent geological, technical or operational difficulties.

The applicability of this new technology goes beyond traditional oil and gas operations as it can also be used in geothermal and carbon capture and storage projects.