- Multi-year agreement will increase Baker Hughes’ coiled tubing drilling fleet from four to 10 units across the country’s natural gas fields
- Additional scope includes underbalanced drilling services, operational management, well construction and geosciences
Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, has announced an award from Aramco to expand its integrated underbalanced coiled tubing drilling (UBCTD) operations across Saudi Arabia’s natural gas fields. The order was booked in the third quarter of 2025.
Under the multi-year agreement, Baker Hughes will expand its current UBCTD fleet from four to 10 units for re-entry and greenfield drilling projects across fields in the Kingdom. The company will provide integrated solutions to manage all aspects of the UBCTD operations, including coiled tubing drilling units, underbalanced drilling services, operational management, well construction, and geosciences to scale and accelerate their access to gas from new and established fields.
'This project is the result of nearly two decades of successful collaboration between Baker Hughes and Aramco, which have set the standard for UBCTD,' said Amerino Gatti, executive vice president of Oilfield Services & Equipment at Baker Hughes. 'By combining advanced technologies with a holistic, integrated approach, we can support Aramco to more efficiently access bypassed and hard-to-reach hydrocarbons and produce the resources that help the Kingdom thrive. This expansion sets the stage for further innovation in UBCTD, which has the potential to shape how oil and gas are produced around the world.'
Baker Hughes’ integrated approach to UBCTD includes the industry-leading CoilTrak™ bottomhole assembly (BHA) system and enhanced reservoir analysis driven by GaffneyCline™ energy advisory. This unique pairing of technology and insight allows operators to more effectively navigate the subsurface environment during horizontal drilling and re-entry operations. By combining these solutions with holistic project management services, Baker Hughes will enhance production efficiency, speed and safety while mitigating reservoir damage when compared to traditional development methods.
The multi-year agreement for expanded services further reinforces Baker Hughes’ proven track record in Saudi Arabia since entering the UBCTD market in 2008. The company continues to maintain a strong health, safety, and environment (HSE) record while consistently delivering operational excellence through its existing four UBCTD units in the Kingdom. Work under the expanded agreement is scheduled to commence in 2026.
Source: Baker Hughes
