Sanad AI is helping Kuwait Oil Company improve access to decades of drilling knowledge. The system uses generative artificial intelligence to support engineers during drilling operations. It aims to make technical information easier to find and apply. As a result, engineers can spend less time searching through internal documents.
Kuwait Oil Company developed the specialized knowledge assistant to address a practical challenge. Engineers often need information from many different technical sources. These sources include operating procedures, daily reports, safety guidelines, and previous lessons. They also include reports about non-productive time and earlier drilling experiences.
The need for faster information access has grown alongside KOC’s expanding drilling activity. Project documents show that drilling fleet activity increased 51 percent. The increase occurred between fiscal years 2022/2023 and 2025/2026. Therefore, engineers face a growing volume of technical knowledge during daily operations.
Sanad AI brings this information together through a specialized digital assistant. Engineers can use the system to search for relevant technical knowledge. The approach can reduce the time required to locate important information. Consequently, specialists can focus more quickly on engineering questions and operational needs.
KOC Senior Drilling and Workover Engineer Yousuf Al-Shammari initiated the project. Several KOC teams then joined the development effort. The Drilling Group supported the project alongside the Drilling and Workover Engineering Group. The Innovation and Technology Group also contributed to its development.
Corporate Information Technology later joined the project as well. Its involvement helped address governance and information security requirements. Together, the teams worked through several development stages. These stages included prototype creation, document integration, testing, validation, and implementation.
Development began in March 2025. The team first created a prototype for the digital assistant. It then added operating procedures and health and safety standards. Afterward, specialists tested the system against operational requirements. A second development phase was scheduled to begin later in 2026.
Sanad AI does not replace engineers or assume responsibility for operational decisions. Instead, the system supports specialists by providing faster access to relevant knowledge. Engineers still apply their own expertise and professional judgment. This approach keeps human decision-making at the center of drilling operations.
The system also underwent testing during an actual producing well operation. The test took place during drilling in the Lower Burgan reservoir. The well reached completion 13 days ahead of schedule. The results highlighted potential benefits from faster access to established procedures.
The operation also produced estimated savings linked to those procedures. The savings reached about 97,000 Kuwaiti dinars per well. The calculation also reflected 13 saved days for each well. KOC estimated larger potential savings across 47 similar wells.
Across those wells, the potential savings could reach 637 operating days. The estimated financial savings could also approach 4.5 million Kuwaiti dinars. These figures illustrate the potential value of combining technical expertise with digital tools.
Meanwhile, the project supports another important objective for KOC. It helps preserve institutional knowledge accumulated through years of drilling activity. Engineers develop valuable experience through operational challenges and technical decisions. Capturing that knowledge can help future specialists access it more efficiently.
The project therefore extends beyond faster document searches. It creates a digital method for organizing and accessing engineering experience. This can help reduce the risk of valuable knowledge becoming difficult to access over time. It can also support knowledge sharing between experienced and newer engineers.
The company has continued recognizing the project’s innovation potential. Sanad AI received the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Award in February 2026. The award came during the Kuwait Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference.
Al-Shammari has emphasized that technology should support engineering expertise. He said human specialists remain central to operational decisions. KOC Drilling Team V Leader Jumaa Bashir also highlighted the practical foundation behind the project.
According to Bashir, innovation becomes stronger when teams begin with genuine operational challenges. Specialist participation also helps ensure that technology addresses real workplace needs. Therefore, KOC’s approach combines artificial intelligence with existing engineering knowledge.
Going forward, Sanad AI could support wider digital transformation across drilling operations. Its development also reflects KOC’s focus on improving efficiency through technology. By connecting engineers with established knowledge, the system can support faster technical work. At the same time, it can help preserve valuable drilling expertise for future operations.
Sanad AI demonstrates how generative artificial intelligence can support specialized industrial work. The system connects technical information with engineers who need it. Moreover, its use in drilling highlights the potential for practical AI applications. KOC can build on this foundation as its drilling activities and digital initiatives continue to expand.
