Baker Hughes to establish new liquid mud plant in Namibia

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, is set to establish a new liquid mud plant and a separate assembly, maintenance, and repair facility at Walvis Bay in Namibia, according to Reuters. The move aims to meet the growing demands of offshore exploration activities.

According to a senior executive, this initiative comes in response to the increasing number of drill rigs and support vessels, which pose a challenge to Namibia’s existing ports due to congestion and inadequate infrastructure.

The upcoming project is anticipated to address these challenges by providing locally-produced drilling fluids for Namibian wells.

Tokunbo Azeez, Executive Director of Baker Hughes Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the significance of this development for Namibia’s oil and gas industry. The liquid mud plant, expected to commence operations by September, will play a crucial role in offshore exploration by producing, storing, and delivering synthetic oil-based “mud” and brines essential for drilling operations to prevent blow-outs and friction.

Despite Namibia’s lack of prior oil or gas production, it has emerged as a hotspot for exploration following discoveries by companies like TotalEnergies, Shell, and Galp Energia.

Currently, oil companies rely on importing drilling fluids from Angola, leading to delays and increased costs. Therefore, establishing local facilities is expected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce risks.

The national ports authority, Namport, is seeking co-funding to expand Luderitz port’s infrastructure to accommodate more platform support vessels.

This expansion, part of the government’s energy hub plans, aims to alleviate congestion and enhance berthing capacity. However, construction timelines may be delayed until early next year due to pending environmental and archaeological approvals.