Gyrodata
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGyrodata is a Houston-based oilfield services company specializing in gyroscopic surveying, wellbore logging, and directional-drilling technologies.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Gyrodata, Incorporated is an oilfield services company headquartered in Houston, Texas. It serves the upstream oil and gas industry with technologies and field services used to survey wells, guide directional drilling, log wellbores, and monitor drilling operations. Its offerings are intended to help operators place wells more accurately, improve reservoir access and hydrocarbon recovery, reduce drilling uncertainty, and control project lifecycle costs. The company was established by Robert S. McMahan, Steve Klopp, Gary Uttecht, and other industry veterans who identified a need for improved wellbore-surveying technology. After a period of development and field trials with oil and gas operators, Gyrodata conducted its first commercial gyroscopic survey in 1983. It subsequently expanded internationally, opening an Aberdeen office to serve the North Sea, a Malaysian office for the Asia-Pacific region, and offices in the Middle East and Latin America. Aberdeen later became the company’s principal Eastern Hemisphere base, while Houston remained its corporate headquarters. Gyrodata’s business is organized around four broad service areas: Drilling, Surveying, Wireline, and Support. Drilling services include performance motors, measurement-while-drilling tools, rotary steerable systems, and gyro-while-drilling systems. Surveying services use spinning-mass and solid-state gyroscopes to establish wellbore position and trajectory, including in environments where magnetic surveying is unsuitable. Wireline services include conventional and cased-hole logging, cement-bond evaluation, and high-density tortuosity logging. Support services include drilling optimization, remote monitoring, and around-the-clock assistance from technical personnel. A central part of Gyrodata’s technology history is the development of gyro-while-drilling, or GWD, which the company introduced commercially in 2002. GWD provided real-time gyroscopic steering and surveying information while drilling, extending high-accuracy surveying into directional and high-angle well construction. The company also developed steering tools, drop-gyro systems, slimhole systems, continuous all-attitude surveying, advanced logging combinations, and rotary steerable technologies. Its acquisition of Cambridge Drilling Automation expanded its capabilities in rotary steerable systems and contributed to the launch of a closed-loop point-the-bit system. Gyrodata continued developing tools for increasingly demanding well geometries. Its systems progressed from applications at moderate inclination to high-angle and horizontal wells, while its surveying and logging technologies were adapted for operational constraints such as limited access, casing placement, artificial-lift installation, and compatibility with third-party telemetry systems. In 2018, the company commercially released solid-state gyroscopic technology, followed by solid-state-gyro drop-surveying and GWD products in 2019. By the time of its acquisition, Gyrodata operated in more than 50 countries and employed approximately 600 people. Principal offices were located in Houston, Aberdeen, and Kuala Lumpur. On February 3, 2023, SLB acquired Gyrodata, bringing its surveying, wellbore-logging, and related drilling technologies into the portfolio of one of the world’s largest oilfield-services companies. The acquisition changed Gyrodata’s ownership while preserving its relevance as a specialist technology and services business within the energy-services sector.
History
Gyrodata was formed in Houston, Texas by Robert S. McMahan, Steve Klopp, Gary Uttecht, and other industry veterans who saw an opportunity to improve surveying technology for directional and complex wells. Several large multinational oil companies supported the company during its formative period as it developed tools and conducted field trials. Gyrodata performed its first commercial gyroscopic survey in 1983, establishing the foundation for a business built around accurate wellbore positioning. The company’s first major international expansion followed soon afterward. It opened an office in Aberdeen, Scotland, to serve North Sea operators, and in 1987 established its first Malaysian office to support the Asia-Pacific market. In 1988, Gyrodata opened offices in the Middle East. During the early 1990s it developed an Eastern Hemisphere headquarters in Aberdeen and expanded into Argentina and Venezuela, marking its entry into Latin America. Product development accelerated during the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1988, Gyrodata introduced the Gyrodata Electronic Magnetic Surveyor, or GEMS, a steering tool for directional-drilling guidance and logging. In 1992, it introduced a gyroscopic steering tool that supplied real-time gyro toolface information through wireline during drilling and sliding operations. The same year, the company introduced a slimhole gyro system for applications requiring smaller-diameter equipment. During the middle of the decade, it commercialized an early drop gyroscopic surveying system. Because the battery-powered tool could be deployed without wireline and nonmagnetic collars, it addressed operational situations in which conventional surveying arrangements were impractical. In 1997, Gyrodata launched its Advanced Logging Combination tools, which combined gyro surveying with selected wireline logs supplied by third-party wireline companies. At the beginning of the 2000s, Gyrodata acquired Cambridge Drilling Automation, a company associated with rotary steerable system development. The acquisition broadened Gyrodata’s drilling-automation capabilities and supported the launch of a closed-loop, point-the-bit rotary steerable system. In 2002, Gyrodata introduced its first gyro-while-drilling tool. This technology allowed drillers to receive real-time gyroscopic steering and surveying information while drilling. The company also introduced survey-while-drilling technology in North America, which later contributed to the development of its measurement-while-drilling platform. Further engineering advances improved the compatibility and operating range of the company’s systems. In 2008, Gyrodata demonstrated compatibility between gyro-while-drilling technology and third-party electromagnetic telemetry, allowing GWD information to be transmitted through a wider range of host MWD tools. It also completed an early successful run with a high-speed drop-gyro system. In 2009, the Continuous All-Attitude Tool was introduced to provide continuous surveying from vertical through horizontal well sections while the tool moved into or out of the well. In 2010, Gyrodata introduced an internally developed gyroscope, a new mud motor, and a GWD system designed for wells with inclinations of up to 40 degrees. Systems for applications reaching 70 degrees followed, and the company became associated with gyroscopic surveying in high-angle environments. Construction of a new Houston headquarters began in 2010, and the company moved into the facility in early 2011. Subsequent development produced GWD systems for horizontal wells, high-density tortuosity-logging software, and two next-generation MWD systems: one using mud-pulse telemetry for inclination and azimuth while drilling, and another using electromagnetic telemetry for compatibility with rotary steerable and GWD tools. In 2018, Gyrodata commercially released solid-state gyroscopic technology. Solid-state sensors offered an alternative to earlier spinning-mass designs and represented a significant change in the company’s surveying technology. In 2019, Gyrodata released a solid-state-gyro drop-surveying system and a solid-state-gyro GWD system. Before its acquisition, Gyrodata operated across more than 50 countries, with approximately 600 employees and principal offices in Houston, Aberdeen, and Kuala Lumpur. SLB acquired the company on February 3, 2023. The transaction placed Gyrodata’s specialist surveying, logging, and drilling capabilities within SLB while ending its period as an independently owned company.
- 2023
Acquired by SLB
[1]SLB acquired Gyrodata on February 3, 2023.
- 2019
Solid-state drop gyro and GWD systems released
[1]The company introduced a solid-state-gyro drop surveying system and a solid-state-gyro gyro-while-drilling system.
- 2018
Solid-state gyroscopic technology commercialized
[1]Gyrodata commercially released solid-state gyro technology as a new platform for wellbore surveying.
- 2009
Continuous All-Attitude Tool introduced
[1]The CAAT enabled continuous surveying from vertical to horizontal orientations while moving through a well.
- 2002
First gyro-while-drilling tool
[1]Gyrodata launched its first GWD tool, supplying real-time gyroscopic steering and surveying information while drilling.
- 1997
Advanced Logging Combination tools launched
[1]Gyrodata introduced ALC tools that combined gyro surveying with selected wireline logs from third-party providers.
- 1992
Gyroscopic steering and slimhole systems launched
[1]The company introduced a gyroscopic steering tool and a slimhole gyro system for directional drilling and constrained wellbores.
- 1988
GEMS steering tool introduced
[1]Gyrodata introduced the Gyrodata Electronic Magnetic Surveyor for directional-drilling guidance and logging applications.
- 1987
Expansion into Malaysia
[1]The company opened its first Malaysian office and began expanding its service presence across the Asia-Pacific region.
- 1983
First commercial gyroscopic survey
[1]Gyrodata conducted its first commercial gyroscopic wellbore survey after several years of technology development and operator field trials.
Products and positioning
A specialist oilfield-technology provider focused on high-accuracy wellbore positioning, directional drilling, logging, and operational support, particularly in applications where conventional magnetic surveying or standard drilling guidance is insufficient.
Drilling technology · 2002
Gyro-while-drilling systems
Gyro-while-drilling systems provide real-time gyroscopic steering and surveying data during drilling. Gyrodata developed its first GWD tool in 2002 and subsequently expanded the technology for higher-angle and horizontal wells. The systems are designed to support accurate well placement where magnetic surveying or conventional drilling guidance is constrained.
Directional-drilling tool · 1988
Gyrodata Electronic Magnetic Surveyor (GEMS)
GEMS was introduced as a steering tool for directional-drilling guidance and logging. It combined electronic magnetic surveying capabilities with Gyrodata’s broader focus on accurate trajectory control and wellbore measurement.
Wellbore surveying
Drop gyroscopic surveying systems
Drop-gyro systems use battery-powered surveying tools that can be deployed without wireline and without relying on nonmagnetic collars. Gyrodata commercialized an early version in the 1990s and later developed solid-state variants for modern wellbore-surveying operations.
Wellbore surveying · 2009
Continuous All-Attitude Tool (CAAT)
The CAAT was designed to provide continuous wellbore surveying across orientations ranging from vertical to horizontal. Its operating concept allowed measurements while the tool moved into or out of the well, supporting trajectory verification in complex well geometries.
Wireline logging · 1997
Advanced Logging Combination (ALC) tools
ALC tools combined gyroscopic surveying with a range of wireline logs supplied by third-party wireline companies. The combination enabled operators to acquire trajectory and formation-related information during a coordinated logging operation.
Drilling technology
Rotary steerable systems
Gyrodata expanded into rotary steerable drilling after acquiring Cambridge Drilling Automation. Its offering included a closed-loop, point-the-bit system intended to guide the drill bit continuously during directional drilling and improve wellbore trajectory control.
Well logging
Wireline and cased-hole logging services
Gyrodata’s wireline business covered traditional wireline and cased-hole logging, cement-bond logging, and specialized high-density tortuosity logging. These services supported evaluation of wellbore condition, casing placement, cement integrity, and drilling performance.
Brand decisions
2023
SLB acquisition of GyrodataM&ABackground
Gyrodata had developed a broad international business in gyroscopic surveying, drilling guidance, wireline logging, and operational support.
Action taken
SLB acquired Gyrodata on February 3, 2023.
Aftermath
Gyrodata became part of SLB, giving the larger oilfield-services group access to Gyrodata’s specialist surveying, logging, and drilling technologies.
2000
Acquisition of Cambridge Drilling AutomationM&ABackground
Gyrodata sought to broaden its drilling-automation and directional-drilling capabilities. Cambridge Drilling Automation was recognized for its work in rotary steerable systems.
Action taken
Gyrodata acquired Cambridge Drilling Automation and used the expanded technology base to develop and launch its own closed-loop, point-the-bit rotary steerable system.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Gyrodata beyond surveying into rotary steerable drilling and supported later integration of gyro-while-drilling and related directional technologies.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Gyrodata announces sale of directional drilling business to Intrepid[2]
Gyrodata announced the sale of its directional drilling business to Intrepid Directional Drilling Specialists. The sale includes effectively all of Gyrodata’s directional drilling personnel, drilling motors and MWD tools.
Gyrodata sells directional drilling business to Intrepid[3]
Gyrodata announced the sale of its directional drilling business to Intrepid Directional Drilling Specialists. The sale includes effectively all of Gyrodata’s directional drilling personnel, drilling motors and MWD tools; financial terms were not disclosed.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/gyrodata · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled