Khalda Petroleum’s digital drilling hub speeds operations in Egypt’s Western Desert – ministry

Egypt’s Khalda Petroleum Company, in partnership with Apache Corporation, has launched the country’s first digital centre for remote drilling monitoring, cutting well drilling times and boosting operational efficiency at its Western Desert sites, the Ministry of Petroleum said Saturday.

The centre, which began operations in 2024, has reduced drill pipe connection times from 24 minutes to under 16 minutes, while minimising downtime and enhancing preventive maintenance through continuous real-time oversight.

Equipped with advanced monitoring technologies, the hub provides 24/7 supervision of all drilling rigs, allowing teams to anticipate and address potential equipment failures before they occur. Using sophisticated software, the system analyses key drilling parameters and applies artificial intelligence to compare current well conditions with historical data, helping Khalda optimise operational performance across all its sites.

The ministry said the initiative marks a “qualitative leap” for Egypt’s oil sector, demonstrating how digitalisation can drive efficiency and reliability in hydrocarbon production.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser