Assessment of Automated Drilling Control Systems for Improving Performance in Onshore Oil Well Operations in Imo State

Onshore oil well drilling operations in Imo State, South East Nigeria, face persistent efficiency challenges including rate of penetration optimization, wellbore instability, and bit wear management that result in extended well construction times and elevated drilling costs. This study assesses the application of automated drilling control systems for improving drilling performance at onshore well sites operated in the Oguta and Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Areas. Automated drilling systems evaluated include rotary steerable systems, automated weight on bit and drill string RPM controllers, and drilling parameter optimization advisory software. Data from six recently drilled wells using conventional manual rotary drilling are compared against four wells where automated control systems were deployed by a drilling service company. Key performance indicators assessed include average rate of penetration, drilling time per 100 metres, total drilling non-productive time, and wellbore trajectory accuracy. Analysis shows an average ROP improvement of 31 percent on automated wells compared to the conventional baseline, alongside a 22 percent reduction in total non-productive time. Wellbore trajectory conformance to planned survey was significantly better on automated wells, with an average azimuth deviation of 0.8 degrees versus 2.4 degrees on conventional wells. The study identifies the human-machine interaction challenges that arise during transitions between automated and manual drilling modes as a key area for operational improvement. Keywords: automated drilling, rate of penetration, well control, drilling optimization, Imo State