Softdrill Lookahead 1.3 – Drilling Operations Planning and Logistics Scheduling Software

Softdrill Lookahead is a scheduling and logistics planning tool developed by Softdrill NL, a Netherlands-based software company specializing in engineering applications for the oil, gas, and geothermal drilling industries . The program was inspired by the well-known spreadsheet but adds multiple features to facilitate input and making changes to maintain the schedule and logistics planning.

The software is built around planned operations that may be adjusted based on new insights or actual duration. After each update, the start time of every operation is automatically recalculated, with results depending on the defined working times. The resulting Lookahead Schedule is displayed on top of the Logistics tab, with input grids below for equipment to be sent to or returned from the location, as well as planned crew changes.

Primary Users

Softdrill Lookahead 1.3 is designed for drilling engineers, operations planners, and logistics coordinators in the oil, gas, and geothermal drilling industries . It serves professionals who need to:

  • Plan and maintain project schedules for drilling operations, including equipment and personnel movements

  • Adjust operations based on new insights or actual durations, with automatic recalculation of start times

  • Manage logistics for equipment to be sent to and returned from the location, as well as planned crew changes

  • Track key milestones and maintain high-level project overviews

Key Features & Capabilities

Schedule Management

  • Automatic Recalculation: Start times of operations are automatically recalculated after each update based on defined working times

  • Drag-and-Drop Operations: Move multiple operations by selecting them and dragging to a new position in the sequence. Hold Shift while dragging to copy operations

  • Copy & Paste: Copy and paste operations from a spreadsheet or text file

Working Time Configuration

  • Flexible Working Hours: Define working hours and/or non-working days, and recalculate the schedule accordingly

  • Unrestricted or Restricted Schedules: Working schedules can be set as Unrestricted (24/7) or Restricted (specific work hours or non-working days)

  • No-Split Operations: Tag operations as ‘no split’ so they are pushed in their entirety to the next available day and time if insufficient hours remain to complete the task

Milestone and Contingency Features

  • Milestone Tagging: Tag key operations as Milestone and filter the Operations table to print a quick high-level overview of the project schedule

  • Contingency Operations: Tag operations as Contingency to exclude them from schedule calculation, but quickly include them if they become required (e.g., round-trip for bit or tool failure, remedial cement job)

Logistics Management

  • Equipment and Crew Movements: Move equipment or crew changes by a number of days, with option to move subsequent or prior movements as well

  • Equipment Tracking: Input grids for equipment to be sent to and returned from the location

Customization

  • Colors & Fonts: Customize schedule appearance via the File menu

What’s New in Lookahead 1.3

While specific release notes for version 1.3 are not available in the search results, Softdrill Lookahead continues to be actively developed and maintained. Recent updates across Softdrill’s product line demonstrate the company’s commitment to performance improvements, bug fixes, and new features—such as the Well Sketch 1.4 update that added custom label positioning and other enhancements .

For the most accurate and detailed version history, users should consult the official Softdrill documentation or contact their support team.