Baker Hughes Expands Footprint in Namibia with Multiple Facilities

Energy tech specialist Baker Hughes Co. has opened a liquid mud plant, cement bulk facility, and integrated multi-modal facility in Namibia. The company said in a media release that these facilities, the liquid mud plant being the largest in terms of volume and capacity in the country, will support the local energy industry and increase localization opportunities.

The facilities will serve as key infrastructure needed to supply drilling and completion fluids and cement bulk handling critical to offshore oil and gas operations, according to Baker Hughes. The integrated multi-modal facility will also house advanced testing and maintenance equipment to support a variety of subsea operations. The Walvis Bay facilities represent a substantial investment in the country from Baker Hughes, the company said.

“Namibia is poised to become one of Africa’s leading energy suppliers, and these operations significantly enhance our ability to support their goals”, said Amerino Gatti, executive vice president of Oilfield Services and Equipment at Baker Hughes. “Our new facilities represent the latest milestone in the growth of Namibia’s domestic oil and gas industry, and we are pleased to help the country realize these vital resources while creating new opportunities for its people”.

The liquid mud plant can hold 15,000 barrels of drilling and completion fluids, Baker Hughes said. The facilities are located at Namibia’s Walvis Bay Port, providing a consistent, local source of materials close to the country’s offshore fields that enhance efficiencies for customers, it said.

The facilities employ local workers who have received advanced training in oil and gas operations from Baker Hughes. The company said it has also provided training to personnel from the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia and the country’s Ministry of Mines and Energy to help strengthen the nation’s pipeline of skilled workers.

Walvis Bay has become a hub for the Namibian energy industry since the discovery of substantial offshore oil reserves in the country’s Orange Basin, the company said. Since 2021, it said it has provided drilling services, subsea wellheads, and tubular running services in the country.

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