What Zerdalab does

Zerdalab Limited is a UK-based (Aberdeen; registered in Clifton, Bristol) private oil & gas drilling technology company that designs and supplies PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) drill bits and complementary drilling-optimization software and services. Its product portfolio spans four steel-body PDC bit models ranging from 6 to 16 inches (DB613, DB616, DB713, DB716), differentiated by proprietary Diamond Impregnated Material (DIM) shoulder elements, a hybrid gauge design that places a PDC cutter on every gauge pad, and CFD-optimized port hydraulics. Bits are sold as customer-owned, manufacturing-friendly designs intended to be more sustainable, repairable, and affordable than incumbent high-specification alternatives, with an explicit push into geothermal drilling where PDC penetration has historically been cost-prohibitive.

The company's software layer includes the PDC Dull Grading mobile app (iOS and Android), which uses computer vision and machine learning to capture images of worn drill bit components, identify parts and damage types, and produce automated dull-grade reports with performance trend analysis and dysfunction prediction. A second product, ZerdaDEN (powered by DDM from Concurrent Systems), provides version-controlled client access to 3D geometry files, manufacturing drawings, and design documentation. Services revenue comes from drilling dynamics optimization consultancy (including a BlackBox offering co-delivered with NOV MDTotco using high-frequency downhole data), data-driven bit selection using a rock-failure-physics + ML model (in development), and custom PDC bit design.

Zerdalab operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales to oil & gas operators and service companies, self-serve app-store distribution for the Dull Grading subscription, and strategic channel partnerships with NOV MDTotco, Endeavour, HydroVolve, Recon, GPS Drill Bits, and Innova Drilling & Intervention. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, 11–50 employees, and a management team spanning the UK, MENATI region, and Eastern Europe.

Name

Zerdalab

Legal name

Zerdalab Limited

Website

https://zerdalab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zerdalab Limited is a UK-based drilling technology company that designs PDC drill bits and provides AI-powered dull-grading, bit-selection, and drilling-dynamics optimization software and consultancy for oil & gas operators, service companies, and geothermal drillers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oilfield Drill Bits

NAICS

Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333132)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Drilling Oil & Gas Wells (1381)

akta.pro primary industry

Rock Drilling & Blasthole Drilling Equipment (IMAHAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Exploration & Production Drilling Services (RC, Core, Directional, Sonic, Auger) (IMAKAKAB)

Keywords

• PDC drill bits
• Drilling optimization
• Drill bit design
• Drilling dynamics
• Bit dull grading

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. PDC Dull Grade App Subscription: Subscription-based SaaS access to PDC Dull Grading app. Customers pay Service Fees for access during the Subscription Term. Payments can be made in advance by debit/credit card or invoiced (with 14-day payment terms for approved credit customers).
2. Drilling Dynamics Optimization Consultancy: Professional consulting services including pre- and post-job analysis with high-resolution downhole data. Collaboration with NOV MDTotco for in-depth drilling dynamics studies.
3. PDC Drill Bits: Customer-owned, branded PDC drill bit designs. Manufacturing-friendly, AI-matched to application designs. Steel body bits that are sustainable, repairable, and globally available.
4. PDC Drill Bit Design Services: Custom PDC drill bit design services including ML-enhanced performance validation, adaptable to manufacturing specifications, and in-house cutter placement model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zerdalab designs and develops PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) drill bits for the oil and gas industry, offering both standard catalog bits and customer-owned designs. The company also provides data-driven bit selection, drilling dynamics optimization consultancy, and an AI-powered PDC Dull Grading mobile application that uses computer vision for automated bit component analysis and damage assessment.

Product overview

Zerdalab is an oil and gas drilling technology company offering a portfolio of PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) drill bits and AI-powered software services. The core product line includes four PDC drill bit models (DB613, DB616, DB713, DB716) ranging from 6 to 16 inches, designed for steel-body, sustainable, and repairable applications. These bits are complemented by the PDC Dull Grading App—a computer vision and ML-powered mobile application for automated bit assessment—and the ZerdaDEN Document Control platform for managing bit design documentation. Additional services include drilling dynamics optimization consultancy, data-driven bit selection, and bit design services, all targeting cost-effective and environmentally conscious drilling operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZerdaDEN: State-of-the-art document control system providing direct end-user access to bit design documentation including 3D geometry files, manufacturing drawings, and guidelines with version control and secure access.

Products and services

• 8.5in DB713 PDC Drill Bit An 8.5-inch steel body PDC drill bit with 7 blades, DIMs (Diamond Impregnated Material) on shoulder, hybrid gauge with PDC cutters, and CFD-optimized 7-port hydraulics, designed for medium to high formation strength, homogeneous/interbedded stratigraphy including sandstone, granite, and basalt. Targeted at oil & gas operators and service companies.
• 16in DB616 PDC Drill Bit A 16-inch PDC drill bit with 6 blades and CFD-optimized 9-port hydraulics, designed for soft to medium formation strength lithology including shale, claystone, sandstone, and limestone with low to medium abrasiveness. Targeted at oil & gas drilling operators.
• 12.25in DB716 PDC Drill Bit A 12.25-inch PDC drill bit with 6 blades and CFD-optimized 10-port hydraulics, designed for medium to hard formation strength in hard sand and basalt applications. Targeted at oil & gas drilling operators.
• 6in DB613 PDC Drill Bit A 6-inch PDC drill bit with DIMs on shoulder for lateral stability and CFD-optimized 6-port hydraulics, designed for ductile carbonates, shale, salt, unconsolidated sand, and hard sand lithology. Targeted at oil & gas drilling operators.
• PDC Dull Grading App A mobile application (iOS and Android) that uses computer vision to capture and process PDC drill bit component images, identify components, assess damage extent and type, and generate comprehensive dull grade reports with automated performance trend analysis and dysfunction prediction. Targeted at drilling engineers and operators.
• ZerdaDEN Document Control A document control system providing direct end-user access to bit design documentation including 3D geometry files, manufacturing drawings, and guidelines, with version control and advanced search capabilities. Powered by DDM (Concurrent Systems). Targeted at bit designers and end users.
• Drilling Dynamics Optimization Consultancy Professional consultancy service using an in-house drilling data analysis toolkit, including data QC and validation, data merge from various sources, channel corrections (WOB, DWOB, Differential Pressure), visualization, reporting, high-frequency analysis, and technical paper writing. Targeted at oil & gas operators and service companies.
• PDC Drill Bit Selection A data-driven bit selection service using rock failure physics-based models combined with machine learning for quick and unbiased application matching and automated dysfunction identification. Targeted at drilling operators and engineers.
• PDC Drill Bit Design Custom PDC drill bit design services producing manufacturing-friendly, customer-owned and branded drill bit designs with ML-enhanced performance validation, adaptable to manufacturing specifications, and utilizing in-house cutter placement modeling. Targeted at oil & gas operators seeking proprietary bit libraries.
• BlackBox Drilling Dynamics Analysis An in-depth drilling dynamics analysis service conducted in collaboration with NOV MDTotco, utilizing advanced measurement tools that collect high-frequency downhole weight, torque, pressure, and vibration data for determining drilling dysfunctions and root causes. Targeted at oil & gas operators and service companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced cost of high specification drill bits
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NOV MDTotcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZerdaLab collaborates with NOV MDTotco on delivering in-depth drilling dynamics studies for multiple Operators and Service Companies. NOV MDTotco's advanced measurement tools collect high frequency downhole weight, torque, pressure and vibration data that is key in determining drilling dysfunctions, root causes, and defining measures to improve drilling efficiency.
• EndeavourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZerdaLab is partnering with Endeavour to develop fit-for-application PDC drill bits and optimise drilling in deep and challenging applications in Ukraine.
• HydroVolvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZerdaLab has partnered with HydroVolve on developing a bespoke PDC drill bit product line to benefit from GeoVolve downhole hammer induced dynamics in challenging applications.
• ReconcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZerdaLab in collaboration with Recon offers high-frequency instrumentation and data logging option in their designs, as small as 5 7/8" drill diameter.
• GPS Drill BitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZerdaLab and GPS Drill Bits work together on developing high specification, cost-effective drill bits library tailored for their clients' applications.
• Innova Drilling and InterventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnova Drilling & Intervention offers a dedicated software suite that delivers vital information to inform directional drilling projects. ZerdaLab partnership enables optimization of drilling performance through integrations with industry-leading software platforms and real-time access to drilling data.
• DDM (Concurrent Systems)coreTechnology or IntegrationZerdaDEN document control system is powered by DDM (Concurrent Systems). Provides state-of-the-art document control including 3D geometry files, manufacturing drawings, guidelines with version control and advance search engine.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• DrillDocs (formerly DrillNet): DrillDocs provides drilling optimization software and consulting services, comparable to ZerdaLab's drilling dynamics optimization consultancy and ML-enabled bit selection offering.
• APS Technology: APS Technology provides drilling dynamics sensors, high-frequency downhole measurement tools, and drilling optimization software—directly comparable to ZerdaLab's BlackBox drilling dynamics analysis and dull grading analytics stack.

Broad incumbents

• Halliburton: Halliburton is a top-tier oilfield services company and major PDC bit manufacturer through its Bits & Advanced Applications group, with bundled drilling solutions targeting the same operator and service-company customers as ZerdaLab.
• Schlumberger (SLB): SLB is the world's largest oilfield services company and a major manufacturer of PDC drill bits (via Smith Bits). It bundles bits with drilling services and directional drilling platforms, competing with ZerdaLab across both hardware and drilling optimization.
• Baker Hughes: Baker Hughes is a global oilfield services and equipment leader with a major drill bit business (including PDC bits). It competes with ZerdaLab on bit performance and increasingly on drilling dynamics and digital optimization offerings.
• National Oilwell Varco (NOV): NOV is a global oilfield equipment giant and the parent of MDTotco, ZerdaLab's core drilling dynamics data partner. NOV also manufactures drill bits and BHA components, making it both a strategic partner and the dominant incumbent in ZerdaLab's downstream supply chain.

Direct peers

• Varel Energy Solutions: Varel manufactures PDC and hybrid drill bits with a focus on performance optimization and is a long-established direct competitor in the global PDC bit market, serving many of the same oil & gas operators and service companies ZerdaLab targets.
• Cougar Drilling Solutions: Cougar designs and manufactures PDC drill bits for oil & gas, geothermal, and mining applications. Directly comparable product line to ZerdaLab's DB613/DB616/DB713/DB716 bits and similar mid-market positioning.
• Bit Brokers International: Bit Brokers distributes and refurbishes PDC and tricone drill bits globally, addressing the same customer pain point of high-spec bit cost that ZerdaLab targets with its sustainable, repairable, on-demand bit model.
• Ulterra Drilling Technologies: Ulterra is one of the largest independent PDC drill bit manufacturers globally, competing head-to-head with ZerdaLab in steel-body PDC bits for oil & gas and increasingly geothermal applications. Both target operators seeking cost-effective, high-performance bits outside the legacy service-company model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZerdaLab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zerdalab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zerdalab