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Oil & Gas

Drill hard rock and long laterals faster with NexTitan

NexTitan applies weight on bit at the bit instead of the surface. You can now drill your hardest sections with up to 3x the rate of penetration, on the rig you already have.

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The problem

In hard formations and long laterals, most of the weight applied at the surface is lost to drag before it reaches the bit. ROP drops, cutters fail, and you waste time tripping pipe instead of drilling which puts the well's budget at risk.

Why GA Drilling?Use cases Case studies

Why GA Drilling?

The first downhole drive system that applies WOB at the bit

A downhole drilling tool for oil & gas wells, built for hard rock and tested at NORCE in Norway.

+32,000 lbf thrust at the bit

NexTitan delivers continuous force at the bit face, independent of drill-pipe drag.

Designed for longer cutter life

NexTitan is designed to reduce stick-slip, which damages PDC cutters and shortens bit runs.

Runs on your existing BHA

Works with the tools and systems you already rely on, and can connect to other tools via CAN bus.

Is your well a fit?

NexTitan is for the sections where hard rock or reach slows you down: deep hard-rock intervals, extended reach laterals, and offshore wells. Twenty minutes with our drilling engineers will tell you if your well qualifies.

Running geothermal wells too? NexTitan is rated for them.

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Use cases

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Coiled tubing drilling with NexTitan

Coiled tubing loses weight on bit to buckling and friction. NexTitan for coiled tubing is in development and designed to apply that weight downhole.

Offshore wells with high day rates

Faster offshore drilling reduces rig time, cuts millions in costs, lowers risks, and boosts project NPV through earlier well completion.

Inclined and horizontal wells

Maximize reservoir contact with inclined and horizontal wells. NexTitan enables efficient drilling in hard, hot formations, improving geothermal well economics.

Case Studies

Dive into our case studies

NexTitan field validation results May 2026: dual-unit system drills hard rock

NexTitan now delivers continuous thrust in hard rock. In April 2026, GA Drilling deployed two coordinated Downhole Drive Units at NORCE Ullrigg, Stavanger, drilling 66 ft of hard Phyllite and validating downhole turbine power.

66 ft

Hard rock drilled

7.5 hrs

Operational time

NexTitan field validation results: Core functionality proved in hard rock

NexTitan successfully operates in hard rock environments. In February 2026, GA Drilling demonstrated core anchoring and drive capabilities within an actual wellbore at the NORCE Ullrigg facility in Stavanger, Norway.

32,000 lbf

Peak downhole thrust

50 m / hr

Walking speed

GA Drilling secures $44.1 million to deploy NexTitan

GA Drilling, a technology company making deep geothermal drilling commercially viable has secured a $44.1 million investment to enter full-scale commercial deployment of its NexTitan downhole anchoring and drive system.

$24.7m

Fresh money

$19.4m

SAFE conversion

Proving NexTitan technology in Houston field tests

Field tests in 2023 validated the NexTitan anchoring system’s ability to reliably “walk” and grip while drilling up to 100 ft/hr (31 m/hr).

-35%

Lateral vibrations

Extended

PDC tool lifetime

Partnering with Petrobras to transform offshore drilling

We are unlocking a new model for offshore well construction ...

30%

Lower cost

Increased

Rate of Penetration

Questions oil and gas drillers ask us

Frequently asked questions

What is NexTitan?

NexTitan is a downhole drive system that applies weight on bit at the bit and reacts to downhole conditions in real time.

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Is NexTitan a steering tool?

No. It controls weight on bit at the bit.

How it works

Does NexTitan stop stick-slip?

It reduces it. Sensors at the bit face respond to vibration as it starts and adjust weight on bit before cutters fracture. Houston field tests measured 35% lower lateral vibration.

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Does NexTitan help in extended reach wells?

Yes, in the part of the lateral where surface weight no longer reaches the bit. NexTitan applies weight at the bit regardless of lateral length.

Can NexTitan run on coiled tubing?

We’re developing it now. Thrust generated downhole removes the buckling and lock-up limits on coil reach. If coiled tubing drilling is your use case, tell us and we’ll bring you in early.

See use case

What formations and temperatures is it for?

Hard rock: granite, basalt, phyllite and similar. It adds little in soft sediments. Rated to 175°C circulating.

Case studies

What is stick-slip in drilling?

Stick-slip is a torsional vibration in which the bit stops rotating, torque builds in the drill string, and the bit spins free at several times surface speed. It fractures PDC cutters and reduces rate of penetration.

What is extended reach drilling?

Extended reach drilling (ERD) means wells whose horizontal reach is large relative to vertical depth, typically above 2:1. The limit is usually weight on bit: friction along the lateral absorbs the weight applied at surface before it reaches the bit.

Why does weight on bit drop in long laterals?

The drill pipe lies against the low side of the borehole and friction absorbs the surface weight. Past a certain length almost none reaches the bit, and the pipe can buckle before it does. Applying weight at the bit removes that limit.

Talk to someone who’s run it downhole

Want to know what NexTitan would do on your hardest section?

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