Russia Launches Import Substitution in Drilling with Advanced Technologies
Rosatom’s mining subsidiary Rusburmash says the move will eliminate foreign equipment within five years, signaling a strategic shift in the country’s resource sector.
Russia is pushing its drilling industry toward self-reliance, rolling out next-generation rigs equipped with “Smart drill” technology.
The transition began at the WorldAtomicWeek forum, where Rusburmash signed a contract with the ZBO Drilling Equipment Plant for a fleet of advanced rigs. The first batch of ZBO S50 self-propelled machines—capable of drilling to depths of 3,000 meters—rolled out in September 2025.
Rusburmash CEO Gleb Nosyrev emphasized that these homegrown systems meet world-class performance benchmarks, positioning Russia’s drilling machinery industry for a new era.
A key innovation is the integration of the “Smart drill” digital system. Operating in real time, it tracks critical drilling parameters—torque, pressure, column weight—boosting both precision and safety.
According to ZBO’s general director Alexander Medvedev, the electric-hydraulic rig marks only the first step toward fully robotic drilling systems. In the future, artificial intelligence could enable a “digital operator” to manage drilling with the skill of a seasoned professional.
