Global subsea services company TechnipFMC is moving early to establish local capacity in Namibia, positioning itself for major contract opportunities in the Orange Basin well before project awards are expected — and underscoring how the race for Namibia’s energy future is already underway.
Speaking at the Namibia International Energy Conference (NIEC) in Windhoek, TechnipFMC Namibia Country Manager Brice Lacrampette said the company has been building its in-country presence for several years in advance of any contract. “We came here early, in advance of first oil,” he said. “The idea was to know the country better, prepare ourselves, and pave the way for the projects to come.”
TotalEnergies is targeting a Final Investment Decision on its Venus discovery in the Orange Basin as early as July 2026, with subsea engineering and construction contracts expected to follow — creating a narrow window for service companies to demonstrate credible local capabilities.
Training Namibians for Deepwater Work
Working with Namibia’s Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund), TechnipFMC has sent more than 15 Namibians through technical training at its facilities in Angola and placed five in an 18-month Graduate Engineering Programme in Paris. Those engineers are now deployed at company operations in Nigeria, Ghana, and Angola, accumulating the hands-on offshore experience that major deepwater contracting demands.
The company also partnered with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) to develop a subsea engineering course, with 25 students currently enrolled and a 51 percent female participation rate. One graduate has already joined TechnipFMC directly. A dedicated Walvis Bay service base, staffed by local employees, is planned for when Orange Basin projects advance to the development phase.
Lacrampette noted that the mood at the conference reflected a market transitioning from prospective to operational. “You can see all the operators coming with VPs and SVPs. There is something coming. But clearly, this is a country where you can invest safely,” he said.
Source: prospect-intel.com