SPE’s Drilling Systems Advancement Technical Section (DSATS) is entering a new era as it transforms its scope from a focus purely on automation to a broader view of drilling systems. This shift reflects evolving industry needs and emerging trends, and the 2026 DSATS Symposium is designed to help define this next phase of DSATS activities.
This event will be held in conjunction with the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Advanced Rig Technology (ART) Committee, as DSATS seeks alignment and additional steerage from this esteemed organization. The symposium is designed to explore six themes that leadership of SPE DSATS has generated which have potential to deliver new industry insights to advance drilling systems:
- Human Factors and Culture: How organizational behaviors impact adoption of drilling systems?
- Data Attributes & Lifecycle Goals: How do we define the data we need for next-generation decision-making?
- Collaboration Models: How do we move from competition to collaboration across all stakeholders?
- Physical System Limiters: How do we rethink hardware, processes, and testing approaches?
- Data Infrastructure & Workflows: How do we leverage standards like OSDU and Data Mesh?
- System vs. Components: How do we identify “threads” that must connect across the well lifecycle?
The symposium will kick off with a SPE DSATS and IADC ART update including the DSATS annual officer and board elections. The working session will be initiated by key industry experts from various areas of the business. They include Eric Kolstad, with Caturus Energy , Austin Groover, from Nabors Industries, Moray Laing, from Halliburton, and David Reid, from NOV who will present their views on the themes. This will be followed by a moderated panel session with John de Wardt, DSATS director emeritus, to debate their views.
The rubber will hit the road during an interactive working session where attendees, seated in assigned teams, will collaborate on specific theme development through a structured, facilitator-led process. This work will translate key insights into reported session output to guide DSATS's future direction. A networking reception will follow the symposium working session.
Outputs from the working session will later be reviewed by the DSATS board and officers for development of the technical section’s forward plan.
Early registration is strongly recommended to assure group assignments for those wanting to input their thoughts, views, experience, and expertise into this program.
Agenda
- 12:30–13:00 | Badge pick up at the conference registration desk located by the exhibit hall.
- 13:00–17:00 | Symposium - Galveston Island Convention Center, Grand Ballroom C
- 17:00–18:30 | Networking Reception
To register, visit the event registration page.
