Drilling speed reached 1,959 meters per day

ADNOC has set a new national record in oil well construction. In 24 hours, the team drilled 6,428 feet, or approximately 1,959 meters, through the challenging carbonate formations of the UAE.

The achievement was announced on August 2, 2026. During the record-breaking interval, the average rate of penetration was nearly 268 feet, or about 81.7 meters, per hour.

The new figure exceeded one mile by 1,148 feet, which is equivalent to approximately 350 meters. ADNOC noted that its drilling teams regularly complete sections longer than 1.6 kilometers in a single day.

Increasing drilling speed helps shorten well construction timelines, bring new production capacity online faster, and utilize the drilling fleet more efficiently. The company emphasized that industrial and environmental safety remained a mandatory requirement throughout the operations.

The record was the result of collaboration between ADNOC divisions

ADNOC Onshore and ADNOC Drilling participated in setting the new benchmark.

To improve efficiency, specialists combined:

• geological data on the fields;
• advanced well construction methods;
• real-time operational progress data;
• digital analytics tools;
• the expertise of drilling and engineering teams.

This approach allows for faster adjustment of operational parameters and ensures that the results of each completed well are incorporated into the planning of future projects.

ADNOC Drilling CEO Abdulla Ateya Al Messabi noted that every new well serves as a source of data and practical experience for subsequent operations.

Round-the-clock drilling monitoring

The ADNOC Real Time Intelligence Centre plays a vital role in increasing the speed and precision of operations.

Specialists at the center receive and analyze data from drilling sites 24/7. The system processes information on well conditions, rock behavior, equipment performance, and changes in operational parameters.

During construction, a single well generates thousands of data points used for real-time decision-making.

Engineers monitor:

• geological formation response;
• drilling equipment performance;
• wellbore condition;
• rate of penetration;
• potential deviations from planned targets.

A centralized decision-making hub allows issues that previously required separate technical approvals to be resolved faster. This reduces delays and helps drilling teams respond to changing conditions in a timely manner.

Artificial intelligence helps identify problems in minutes

ADNOC continues to expand the use of artificial intelligence in the oil and gas industry.

Throughout 2025, the company increased its use of the AiPSO platform, developed in partnership with technology company SLB. The digital solution was initially deployed across eight fields.

The system analyzes millions of parameters in near real-time, helping to detect operational deviations within minutes. Previously, identifying similar issues could take days.

ADNOC plans to roll out the platform across all its onshore and offshore fields by the end of 2027.

Scaling the system will unify monitoring, improve operational precision, and allow successful solutions to be applied more quickly across various production sites.

AI adoption has reduced non-productive time by up to 20%

At the end of 2025, ADNOC reported a significant increase in drilling efficiency driven by digital technologies.

The use of artificial intelligence has enabled the company to:

• reduce non-productive drilling time by up to 20%;
• improve operational precision;
• respond more quickly to changing conditions;
• decrease the number of unplanned shutdowns.

By January 2026, the company was utilizing over 200 AI-based solutions and 65 robotic systems.

Following the implementation of digital tools, unplanned downtime at production facilities has been reduced by 50%. The monitoring system now covers ADNOC's entire well inventory.

ADNOC launches its first automated island rig

In June 2026, ADNOC Drilling commissioned the AD 300 drilling rig.

It is the company's first automated island drilling rig equipped with integrated artificial intelligence systems. The facility began operations ahead of schedule.

The company plans to launch five more similar rigs. They will be used for offshore well construction and to increase production capacity.

Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Alebri, CEO of ADNOC Onshore, noted that combining professional expertise with advanced technology allows for faster project delivery and more efficient energy supply to the market.

Drilling fleet to expand to 70 rigs

By the end of 2026, ADNOC plans to increase its Integrated Drilling Services fleet to 70 rigs.

To support this program, the company has secured long-term contracts comprising 13 comprehensive service packages. These cover well construction and completion, as well as related oilfield services.

Expanding the fleet is expected to improve equipment availability for new projects and increase operational capacity.

Special focus is being placed on the development of the unconventional Ruwais Diyab field. Once the project reaches full capacity, plans call for drilling over 300 wells annually.

In the first half of 2026 alone, ADNOC Drilling completed more than 100 unconventional wells.

Company continues to set drilling records

This new achievement follows a series of technological milestones for ADNOC.

In 2025, the company set another regional record by completing the longest horizontal drilling operation at a rate of over one mile per day.

The figure of 6,428 feet in 24 hours confirmed continued productivity growth and the ability to execute complex operations in shorter timeframes.

For the company, faster well construction means not only earlier commissioning of production capacity but also the ability to redeploy drilling rigs to subsequent projects more quickly.

Financial results support investment in technology

For the first half of 2026, ADNOC Drilling's revenue reached $2.46 billion, or approximately 9.03 billion dirhams. This is a 4% increase compared to the same period last year.

Net profit was $706 million, or approximately 2.59 billion dirhams, an increase of 2%.

Oilfield services revenue grew by 5% to reach $726 million, or AED 2.67 billion.

Growth in this segment was driven by the expansion of Integrated Drilling Services, as well as increased utilization of directional drilling technologies and advanced drilling fluids.

Revenue from offshore projects also increased by 5% to $703 million, or approximately AED 2.58 billion.

ADNOC Drilling 2026 Outlook

The company has maintained its previously announced financial guidance for 2026.

ADNOC Drilling expects:

• annual revenue of approximately $5 billion, or AED 18.36 billion;
• EBITDA in the range of $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion, or AED 8.08 billion to AED 8.45 billion.

High rig utilization and long-term contracts provide the resources for investment in automated rigs, digital systems, and the continued development of the oilfield services segment.

Significance of the record for the UAE economy

The oil and gas industry remains a cornerstone of the UAE economy, despite active diversification and the growth of non-oil sectors.

Improving production efficiency and reducing well construction timelines help optimize capital expenditure and accelerate the commissioning of production facilities.

At the same time, large-scale investments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and analytics support the development of high-tech capabilities within the country.

Such projects create demand for engineers, data scientists, digital systems developers, and industrial equipment suppliers.

How technological development impacts the real estate market

The impact of ADNOC's record on real estate is primarily indirect.

The expansion of energy projects and investments in technology support employment, business activity, and the development of industrial infrastructure. This can drive demand for housing, office space, and industrial real estate in areas linked to the energy sector.

The most notable effect is typically generated by:

• attracting qualified professionals;
• the opening of service and technology companies;
• industrial infrastructure development;
• growing demand for corporate housing;
• expansion of logistics and manufacturing zones.

For investors, such news serves as an indicator of the financial stability of major state-owned companies and the UAE's ability to continue funding infrastructure and technology projects.

ADNOC accelerates digital transformation in energy

A record-breaking drilling depth of nearly 2 kilometers in a single day demonstrates how digital technologies are reshaping traditional industrial processes.

ADNOC integrates data, automation, artificial intelligence, and the expertise of its engineering teams to shorten project timelines and boost productivity.

Plans to deploy the AiPSO platform across all onshore and offshore fields by the end of 2027 show that the company views digitalization not as an isolated experiment, but as the foundation of its future operating model.

This new record strengthens the UAE's position as one of the most technologically advanced hubs in the global energy industry and confirms the country's ability to combine large-scale industrial production with modern digital solutions.