Market Trends of Drilling Automation Industry
Offshore Segment to Witness Significant Growth
- Drilling automation is centered on the downhole activities necessary for the actual drilling of an oil or gas well. This involves linking surface and downhole measurements with near-real-time predictive models to improve the safety and efficiency of the drilling process. In the offshore segment, a high level of expertise is required to maneuver the drill below the surface, and therefore, drill automation may prove its reliability, which may stimulate the growth of the market.
- Although technology is being continuously refined, it is expected to create a paradigm shift in the oil and gas drilling industry. Concerns over the environment and safety of individuals are expected to be mitigated with the large-scale operationalization of the technology, which is expected to aid the growth of the market, especially in the offshore segment where safety is a significant concern.
- In January 2022, ADNOC announced an investment of USD 1 billion in the long-term development of the Umm Shaif field. In the process, the company awarded National Petroleum Construction Company a contract to develop, increase efficiencies, and enhance the field's long-term potential. This investment aligns with ADNOC's aims to achieve production capacity plans of 5 million barrels per day by 2030.
- Although significant growth has taken place in unconventional onshore production, offshore production represented approximately 28% of overall oil and gas production in 2021. Offshore production of oil and gas is expected to increase due to the increasing demand for hydrocarbon resources. An increase in the offshore sector is expected to contribute to the growth of the market.
- The amount of natural gas produced in the world increased by 4.8%, to 4036.9 billion cubic meters in 2021 from 3861.5 billion cubic meters in 2020. The increased utility of natural gas has ordained an increase in natural gas production to meet the world's consumption.
- Hence, the offshore segment is expected to witness growth in the forecast period due to an increase in free cash flow, advancements in technology, and an increase in oil production.
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North America to Dominate the Market
- The North American region is expected to be among the largest drilling automation markets and is likely to continue its dominance in the coming years. The region consists of the largest oil and gas production basins in the world, which provide fertile ground for further growth in the industry.
- The United States is expected to be the largest user of drilling automation in the region, especially with the boom in shale oil and gas in many onshore basins like the Permian basin that has contributed to advancements in the drilling automation market. Shale oil and gas have steadily increased in the country and may provide a platform for increasing drilling automation in multilateral horizontal drilling in the shale basins.
- North America increased its output of crude oil significantly to 1074.7 million tons in 2021 from 1058.7 million tons in 2020. Whereas the region's gas production increased from 1112.1 billion cubic meters in 2020 to 1135.8 billion cubic feet per day in 2021. Increasing production of oil and gas is expected to create demand for better drilling automation techniques and thereby aid the growth of the market.
- As of March 2023, the United States had a total of 755 active rotary rigs. A rotary rig is considered active when it is on location and drilling the majority of the week (4 days out of 7 days). This indicates the dominance of fixed assets such as drilling rigs and production platforms in the upstream segment of the country.
- Hence, the North America region is expected to dominate the market due to its vast crude oil and natural gas upstream sector, rising exploration in the offshore industry, and increasing demand for fossil fuels.
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