The commissioning of the plant, also known as a liquid mud plant, coincides with SLB marking 70 years of operations in Mozambique. It reflects the company’s long-term commitment to investing in people, infrastructure and capability that support the country’s long-term offshore energy development plans.

With an initial storage capacity of 21,000 barrels, the liquid mud plant provides a scalable platform for future growth, supporting multiple customers and rising offshore activity while improving logistics and enhancing operational flexibility.

“As SLB marks 70 years in Mozambique, this investment reflects our confidence in the country’s future and our commitment to supporting its energy ambitions,” said Miguel Baptista, Central, East and Southern Africa, Managing Director, SLB. The new liquid mud plant strengthens local energy infrastructure, expands opportunities for local content development, and enhances our ability to support customers as they deliver some of Africa’s most significant offshore energy resources.”

The liquid mud plant project was delivered with strong local participation and that momentum is expected to continue into operations. During project delivery, more than 100 jobs were created in Pemba with nationals representing 80% of the workforce, reflecting a focus on building local capability.

The project was delivered with a strong focus on safety, operational integrity, and quality, achieving more than 67,000 hours worked without a recordable safety incident.

This key infrastructure strengthens SLB’s ability to support consistent service quality and enhance supply chain readiness for increasing offshore activity across Mozambique, supporting customers execute safely and efficiently while developing local skills and expertise.

Key Points:

• SLB has commissioned a new fluids system plant in Pemba, expanding in-country drilling and completion fluids capability for offshore operations.
• With an initial storage capacity of 21,000 barrels, the facility provides a scalable platform to support growing offshore activity in Mozambique.
• The investment marks the next phase of SLB’s growth in Mozambique, strengthening local capability and supporting long-term offshore energy development.

The timing is significant. Recent Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) modelling and assumptions discussions highlighted a fundamental shift that South Africa’s energy planning now needs to capture: we cannot plan the future power system by counting megawatts of generation alone.

We must plan for when energy is available, where it is available, how it moves through a constrained grid and how it is stored and dispatched when the system needs it most.

The announcement reinforces that shift. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming critical system infrastructure, supporting flexibility, reducing avoidable curtailment, shifting energy into periods of demand and strengthening security of supply.

For SAESA, the message for the IEP is clear: storage, flexibility and system services must be modelled as integral components of South Africa’s future electricity architecture, with their contribution considered from the outset of generation planning.

“The IEP must plan the power system we are becoming, not simply model the power system we have inherited,” says SAESA.

Partnership with C&I Energy + Storage Summit

SAESA is an association partner of the C&I Energy + Storage Summit, created by VUKA Group, taking place on 28–29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg.

The summit brings together commercial and industrial energy users, project developers, financiers, regulators and solution providers to explore practical approaches to energy security, procurement and storage deployment.

For businesses assessing how storage can support their operations, the event offers an opportunity to meet SAESA and engage with the wider energy community on the decisions shaping South Africa’s evolving electricity system.

Commercial and industrial energy decision-makers are invited to apply to attend as hosted buyers. Qualifying buyers receive complimentary summit access and curated opportunities to engage with industry partners.

Meet SAESA at C&I Energy + Storage Summit: Join the Hosted Buyer Programme

The Hosted Buyer Programme connects commercial and industrial energy decision-makers with solution providers shaping South Africa’s evolving private energy market.

Qualified energy buyers receive complimentary access to the summit and curated engagement with industry partners exploring energy procurement, storage deployment and project development.

Apply for the Hosted Buyer Programme (https://apo-opa.co/4ehLijJ)

With less than a week to go, Nigeria Mining Week 2026 has added a global commodity trader and the world’s lithium trade association to its programme. Mercuria Energy Trading NG has signed as a Gold Sponsor, and the International Lithium Association (ILiA) has joined as a Supporting Association.

They join Nigeria’s mining leaders, investors and operators in Abuja from 12 to 14 October for three days on the questions that will define the sector’s next decade: who finances Nigerian projects, who buys their output, and how much of it is processed in Nigeria.

Now in its 11th edition, the event takes place at the Abuja Continental Hotel under the theme “Unlocking Investment and Growth through Partnerships”. More than 3,080 attendees and more than 90 sponsors and exhibitors are expected across seven strategic forums.

The decisions made on processing, financing and market access over the next few years will shape Nigerian mining for the decade ahead. Nigeria Mining Week puts the people making those decisions in the same room.

On the agenda

The programme follows six content pillars: exploration and geological data; financing and investment; industrialisation and processing; infrastructure and power; ESG, transparency and community development; and international and regional collaboration.

• 12 October: pre-conference and roundtables on geological data, financing for junior miners, compliance and enforcement, and power and infrastructure.

Available to conference attendees only.

• 13 October: conference and exhibition opening, the new Critical Minerals Forum, the Women in Extractive Industries Forum and technical workshops

• 14 October: Gold Day, sessions on steel and industrial minerals, the Deal Room and further technical workshops

The Deal Room is a curated space for one-on-one meetings between mining projects and financiers, off-takers and strategic partners. Projects seeking offtake or financing can apply to take part.

International Lithium Association joins as Supporting Association

ILiA, the global trade association for the lithium industry, will take part in the Critical Minerals Forum on 13 October. Astrid Karamira, EMEA Representative Director at ILiA, joins the panel “Building Reliable Pathways from Nigeria to Global Battery, Magnet & EV Markets”.

The session looks at what Nigerian projects must do to reach international battery markets: technical and quality standards, traceability and responsible sourcing, export readiness, and the step from exploration success to commercial operation.

“Global buyers are asking more of their suppliers on quality, traceability and responsible sourcing than ever before. Nigeria Mining Week is an opportunity to discuss openly what those expectations mean in practice, and how Nigerian projects can meet them.”

Mercuria Energy Trading NG signs as Gold Sponsor

Mercuria Energy Trading NG is the Nigerian subsidiary of Mercuria, one of the world’s leading independent energy and commodity groups. It brings a buyer and offtaker perspective to the programme.

For many Nigerian projects, a credible buyer is the gap between a promising deposit and a financed mine. Mercuria will contribute to discussions on commodity trading and offtake partnerships, critical minerals supply chains, and infrastructure and logistics.

“Nigeria has the mineral endowment to play a growing role in global supply chains, including critical minerals. We look forward to sharing how trading, offtake and logistics partnerships can help Nigerian projects reach global markets.”

Event details

• Dates: 13 to 14 October 2026
• Venue: Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria
• Exhibition: 13 and 14 October 2026, with free visitor entry
• Programme and delegate passes: www.NigeriaMiningWeek.com
• Free visitor pass: https://apo-opa.co/4yEkumc

The programme is subject to change.