Artificial Intelligence Drills Wells at Russia’s Messoyakha Field
At the northernmost onshore oilfield in Russia, intelligent drilling systems—built entirely on domestic software—are reshaping safety, efficiency, and the very workflow of oil production.
A Unified Digital Ecosystem in the Arctic
At the East-Messoyakha field in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, every well is drilled with the help of intelligent control systems. This large‑scale project, developed on Russian software, illustrates how digital transformation reduces risks and accelerates operations in the oil and gas sector. Its core innovation is a unified ecosystem that manages the full cycle—from design to commissioning.
According to Sergey Ovchinnikov, Director for New Capacity Launch at Messoyakhaneftegaz, the shift to automation was a natural evolution. “When the automation of processes reached a certain scale, it became clear: the next step was to hand some functions over to the software system,” he explained.
To date, the company has drilled roughly 130 wells using AI‑driven systems. Their combined length is comparable to the distance between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Faster Wells, Safer Workplaces
The new technologies significantly reduce manual workload. Drillers are no longer required to maintain hours of continuous focus on dozens of parameters. The system performs the drilling autonomously while streaming real‑time data to a control center 2,000 kilometers away, in Tyumen.
The results are measurable. “The key metric is the speed of well construction. Digital transformation accelerated the full cycle by 12%, and mechanical drilling speed on some sections increased by up to 40%,” Ovchinnikov noted.
The total construction cycle has dropped from 44 days in 2021 to 30 days in 2025—directly boosting profitability.
New digital safety tools also monitor compliance: the system can detect missing protective gear or the presence of personnel in hazardous zones and issue immediate alerts.
What Comes Next
Development at Messoyakha continues. Upcoming innovations include expanding the use of AI algorithms for downhole operations, robotizing drilling rigs, and creating digital twins of the field. These technologies hold strategic value not only for Russia but for the global oil industry, offering tools for efficient work in extreme geological and climatic conditions.
