Exxon has begun using automated drilling in the Permian Basin. A contractor for ExxonMobil operates robotic machinery from a small office on a drilling rig. The contractor uses controls on a screen to move the machinery.

This development is taking place in an area with a sparse, flat landscape dotted with oil rigs and pump jacks. The area is described as rural west Texas.

Further details about Exxon's automated drilling operations are available from the source.