The Maurel & Prom Group (M&P) has confirmed  discussions were held last week between the management of M&P Gabon and the representatives of local communities around the Ezanga permits following their demands in terms of employment and economic benefits.

These discussions took place with the support of the Gabonese authorities and quickly resulted in an agreement whereby expansions of existing ESG programmes will be reviewed and proposed in the upcoming weeks.

It is worth highlighting that production was not affected at any time.

Separately, the approval process for the acquisition of Assala is currently underway with the Ministries of Oil and Economy of Gabon, as well as with CEMAC.

Algeria Replaces CEO of State Energy Firm Sonatrach

Algerian state TV reports that Sonatrach CEO Toufik Hakkar has been dismissed and replaced by Rachid Hachichi.

Hachichi had previously led Sonatrach from April to November 2019 and has now been re-appointed by Abdelmadjid Tebboune, president of the republic of Algeria.

SLB, AKER Solutions and Subsea7 Announce Closing of the Onesubsea Joint Venture

Subsea 7 today announced the final closing of the previously announced joint venture with SLB1 and Aker Solutions. The new business, which will adopt the OneSubsea name, will drive innovation and efficiency in subsea production by helping customers unlock reserves and reduce cycle time. 

OneSubsea now comprises SLB’s and Aker Solutions’ subsea businesses, which include an extensive complementary subsea production and processing technology portfolio, world-class manufacturing scale and capacity, access to industry-leading reservoir and digital domain expertise, unique pore-to-process integration capabilities and strengthened R&D capabilities.

OneSubsea’s field-proven subsea processing capabilities are seen by its customers as unparalleled in enhancing reservoir recovery and enabling long tie backs. Its unique compression technology portfolio has proven its potential to reduce the structure and capital cost of developing new energy reserves, while subsea projects have shown to be inherently more carbon efficient than topside solutions. 

OneSubsea will be headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and Houston, Texas, with 11,000 people working in all key operating regions around the world. 

SLB holds a 70 percent equity stake in the joint venture, with Aker Solutions holding 20 percent. Subsea7 holds 10 percent of the joint venture, in exchange for a cash consideration of USD 306.5 million paid in two equal instalments in 2023 and 2024.

Mads Hjelmeland, CEO of OneSubsea said “OneSubsea’s extensive technology portfolio and engineering expertise enable us to address future market trends and needs at a unique scale. In doing so, we aim to fulfil our purpose of expanding the frontiers of subsea to drive a sustainable energy future. We will accelerate innovation and contribute to the ambition of our customers to optimize their production and reduce emissions in their subsea operations.” 

John Evans, CEO of Subsea7 said:
“Subsea7 is in the early stages of a prolonged upcycle driven by the continued growth of the world’s energy demand, combined with compelling competitive dynamics of the subsea industry. Our market-leading position is reinforced by the partnership with SLB and Aker Solutions in the OneSubsea joint venture and through Subsea Integration Alliance. We look forward to deepening the relationship with our clients as we work together to optimise value creation and deliver the lower-carbon energy the world needs.” 

Olivier Le Peuch, CEO of SLB said: 
“The offshore market is demonstrating a sustained resurgence as operators across the world look to accelerate development cycle times and increase the productivity of their offshore assets. With its combined technology portfolio that leverages digital innovation, OneSubsea is ideally placed to support customers in their drive to improve asset performance while increasing energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.”