Towards Seamless Interoperability: Verification and Validation of Drilling Automation Features in a Controlled Environment

Abstract Drilling automation has emerged as a transformative force in the oil and gas industry, revolutionizing traditional drilling operations to enhance efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Central to its successful implementation are robust verification and validation (V&V) processes, which ensure the reliability, accuracy, and safety of automated systems. This paper explores the V&V of applications deploying wellbore protection and drilling optimization Advisors integrated with automated drilling control systems (ADCS). Drilling automation applications performing wellbore protection (e.g., pack-off, hookload, over-torque, among others) and drilling optimization functions (e.g., rate-of-penetration (ROP) optimization) are deployed on an edge device connected to an automated rig control system (ADCS). The Advisors parameterize existing capabilities of the ADCS to carry out protection and optimization tasks. The interplay between Advisors and the ADCS is evaluated using a simulated rig environment at different levels: system integration test (SIT) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL). A variety of test cases are executed to assess how each Advisor performs in conjunction with the ADCS and how stable the integration is under both normal and contingency conditions. Each Advisor performs a self-assessment of its readiness to execute its function safely. The ADCS determines how to assign control of rig activities based on the availability of Advisors. The first layer of V&V, using SIT, simulates surface and downhole sensor signals that are ingested by the Advisors to test the interoperable system. The second layer, using HIL, generates sensor signals via actual programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to achieve a more realistic representation of the rig site. A series of tests enables a thorough assessment of whether each interoperable function between Advisor and ADCS meets design requirements (verification). Furthermore, the execution of these tests in the presence of multiple stakeholders (i.e., operators, drilling contractors, service companies) ensures that the systems perform as intended under real-world conditions (validation). Given the high stakes in drilling operations—including financial risks and environmental concerns—a comprehensive V&V framework is essential. With this approach, potential flaws are detected early in the process and can be resolved during the development phase. This paper presents a summary of the test cases executed for each Advisor across all rounds of testing, along with the corresponding learnings toward achieving seamless interoperability at the rig site. All tests were witnessed by multiple stakeholders representing operators, drilling contractors, service companies, and even assurance and risk management auditors.