Gyrodata was founded in Houston, Texas by a team of industry veterans who recognized a gap in the market for reliable, accurate surveying technologies.  Several large multi-national oil and gas companies supported Gyrodata during its formation, in an effort to bring these new surveying technologies to market.

After several years of technology development and numerous field trials with leading oil & gas operators, which included sensor ruggedization and accuracy improvements, Gyrodata ran the first commercial gyroscopic survey.  Several months later, Gyrodata opened its office in Aberdeen, Scotland to provide services for the North Sea.

Gyrodata opens its first office in Malaysia, and begins working in Sarawak, Brunei, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Gyrodata opens offices in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi.

Prior to Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technology adoption by the broader market, Gyrodata pioneered the Gyrodata Electronic Magnetic Surveyor (GEMS) steering tool, which provided precise drilling guidance in directional drilling applications.

Gyrodata builds its Eastern Hemisphere headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Gyrodata opens offices in Argentina and Venezuela, which represented its first entry into Latin America.

The gyroscopic steering tool was introduced.  Gyro Steering allowed for real-time gyro tool face on wireline while-drilling and sliding.

The slimhole gyro system (1 ¾”) was introduced.

Gyrodata commercialized the industry’s first drop gyroscopic surveying system.  Using a proprietary, robust, battery-powered system; the drop tool eliminated the requirement for wireline and non-magnetic collars.  The system’s ability to collect a gyro survey while tripping led to a reduction in rig time and significant cost savings.  The foundation of this technology remains an important part of Gyrodata’s service offering today.

Gyrodata introduced the Advanced Logging Combination (ALC) tools, which enabled simultaneous collection of a gyro survey along with a variety of wireline logs provided by third party wireline companies.  ALC was a major breakthrough in wellbore surveying instrumentation, as it provided operators with cost savings, a highly accurate wellbore delineation, and enhanced positioning within the reservoir.

Gyrodata acquired Cambridge Drilling Automation (subsequently Gyrodata Drilling Automation), which was the industry pioneer in Rotary Steerable System (RSS) technologies since 1993.  Subsequent to this acquisition, Gyrodata launched the 10” WellGuide RSS, which represented the first closed-loop RSS tool with point-the-bit technology in the market.

The GyroGuide Gyro-While-Drilling (GWD) system was first introduced, providing drillers with the ability to utilize real-time gyro steering and surveying data while drilling.  This represented a significant step-change for the industry, and replaced wireline gyro services during kick-off and anti-collision operations.  In addition to significant rig time savings, the health, safety and environment (HSE) risks associated with wireline operations and close proximity drilling were reduced.

The Monitor Survey-While Drilling (SWD) system was first introduced in North America.  This early system was the foundation for Gyrodata’s current MagGuide Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) technologies.

The WellGuide RSS 7″ tool was introduced as the second offering in the WellGuide series.  The 7” RSS allowed for drilling in a variety of hole sizes from vertical to horizontal well profiles.

Gyrodata engineers achieved compatibility with third-party Electro-Magnetic (“EM”) and telemetry to transmit GWD real-time with a broader range of host MWD tools.

Gyrodata performed the first successful run with its new high-speed drop gyro system, known as the “Go-Devil.”  This evolution represented another step-change for the industry, saving clients rig time and cost.

The Continuous All-Attitude Tool (CAAT) was introduced, which provided continuous surveying from vertical to horizontal while moving in or out the well.  This technology enables significant reduction in signal-to-noise ratio, which provide higher-accuracy survey measurements.

Gyrodata’s in-house designed and manufactured, proprietary MXY gyroscope was introduced.  The MXY gyro has continued to be the primary sensor utilized across a range of Gyrodata technologies and services, and has been since inception the most rugged, accurate directional sensor in the market.

Gyrodata introduced proprietary, in-house designed GyroDrill Mud Motors.  The motor fleet was started organically and has grown into one of the largest, most comprehensive fleets in North America.

The GyroGuide GWD40 was introduced, providing survey capabilities up to 40 degrees of inclination.

With further sensor and system innovation, Gyrodata introduced the GyroGuide GWD70, which enabled GWD data in well profiles up to 70 degrees of inclination, and established Gyrodata as the only company in the world capable of achieving high-accuracy, real-time gyroscopic surveys above 40 degrees of inclination.

Gyrodata performed several high profile jobs during 2010.  First, Gyrodata participated in both relief wells that were drilled to intersect the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico.  This highlighted another example of our clients turning to Gyrodata for the most critical, important jobs in the oil and gas industry.  Subsequently, Gyrodata mobilized to Chile to respond to the Chilean National Copper Company disaster where 33 miners were trapped in the San Jose mine.  Highly accurate downhole measurements were critical to the process of drilling and subsequently freeing those miners.

Construction began in 2010; and in early 2011, Gyrodata began operating from our new global corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas.

The GyroGuide GWD90 was introduced, enabling all-attitude gyro-while-drilling GWD surveys and drilling a complete horizontal well from top to bottom using a GWD tool.  Gyrodata remained the only technology provider in the world capable of these higher inclination applications.

The WellGuide RSS 4 ¾” tool was introduced to the market, completing Gyrodata’s suite of 3 tools sizes with RSS.  The 4 ¾” WellGuide is the leading closed loop automated drilling tool for horizontal applications.

Gyrodata introduced the MicroGuide service, a groundbreaking new technology that provides clients high-definition data regarding tortuosity of a wellbore.  This technology is a key consideration for clients around the world who require better intelligence for purposes of running casing, optimizing placement of artificial lift assemblies and completion tools, as well as for use in torque-and-drag analysis.

Gyrodata releases its next generation Measurement While Driling (MWD) system, which utilizes mud-pulse telemetry and includes unique features that increase the efficiency of transmitted data and also provides enhanced inclination and azimuth while drilling.  MagGuide is capable of running a range of logging tools as well, including Gyrodata’s proprietary MicroGuide log.

Gyrodata introduced electromagnetic MWD to better address clients’ telemetry requirements in certain drilling applications. This additional telemetry capability enables communication to surface of all of Gyrodata’s other downhole technologies including RSS and GWD.

Gyrodata introduced the most revolutionary gyro surveying technology in its history. SPEAR technology is the culmination of almost a decade of research and development, and represents the most differentiated sensor technology in the history of the energy industry. SPEAR is expected to evolve into Gyrodata’s platform sensor technology for years to come.

Gyrodata launched the first tool based on SPEAR technology, called Omega^X.  This new tool is the first all-attitude solid-state drop gyro surveying system in the world.  Omega^X is the most accurate and rugged gyro system ever released, and it enables accuracy and reliability in harsh environments, which can dramatically reduce the Ellipse of Uncertainty of a wellbore position.  Furthermore, Omega^X collects data far faster than previous technologies, and does not consume any rig time as it can be pumped to bottom during normal rig operations.

In late April of 2020, Gyrodata divested its directional drilling business to Intrepid Directional Drilling Specialists as part of ongoing efforts to refocus the business on the gyro and wireline product lines and differentiated solutions in solid-state gyro technology. The sale included performance motors and MWD tools, and almost every Gyrodata employee supporting the drilling side of the business transitioned to the new company. Importantly, Gyrodata maintained its own fleet of telemetry systems to enable standalone GWD work.