Halliburton Buys Sekal to Boost Drill Automation

Halliburton acquired Sekal from Sumitomo on April 1, 2026, merging automation platforms to cut well delivery time by up to 25%.

22 Jun 2026

Halliburton completed its acquisition of Sekal, a Norwegian drilling software company, from Sumitomo on April 1, 2026, combining two automation platforms in a deal the company said would reshape how wells are planned and drilled. The merger joins Halliburton's LOGIX automation system with Sekal's DrillTronics software, creating an integrated platform that company officials said could reduce well delivery time by up to 25 percent through automated parameter optimization and real-time subsurface modeling.

Before the acquisition closed, DrillTronics had been deployed across more than 1,300 wells, accumulating field data that both companies said would strengthen decision-making at every stage of construction. That track record carries weight in an industry where operators face sustained pressure to reduce capital expenditure without sacrificing operational performance.

Efficiency gains tied to software-driven drilling, analysts have noted, translate into meaningful savings across large programs where time overruns compound costs quickly.

Jarle Vaag, Sekal's chief executive, described the transaction as a natural progression for the company. "Joining Halliburton is a natural evolution for Sekal," Vaag said, citing "the combined expertise of Halliburton and Sekal to advance our technical capability and accelerate the adoption of digitally integrated well construction." His remarks reflected a broader industry shift, one in which automation has moved from an operational experiment to a baseline expectation among large upstream operators.

For oilfield services competitors, the deal signals intensifying rivalry around digital well construction, a segment where software-driven performance guarantees are increasingly bundled with traditional service contracts.

Providers across the sector have responded by expanding their technology holdings through targeted acquisitions. Halliburton, with DrillTronics now folded into its existing portfolio, enters that contest with a considerably deeper bench. The integration could shape operator procurement decisions and competitive positioning across global upstream markets for years ahead.