Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded a five-year contract to energy technology company SLB for integrated well stimulation and hydraulic fracturing services in Block 6, according to the company’s third-quarter financial results disclosed on October 23. The agreement underscores ongoing efforts to enhance oil and gas production capabilities in Oman.
The contract encompasses advanced reservoir stimulation, well intervention, fracturing automation, and digital technology solutions aimed at boosting well productivity and optimizing reservoir performance. SLB did not reveal the contract’s financial value, the number of wells included, or the specific fields within Block 6 where the services will be executed.
This latest award builds on an existing relationship between PDO and SLB, which has a history of providing hydraulic fracturing and related well services in Oman. In 2021, SLB, then operating under the name Schlumberger, secured a five-year contract to deliver high-pressure hydraulic fracturing and stimulation services for up to 350 wells. That prior contract also included options for two additional two-year renewals. It remains unclear whether the newly announced agreement replaces the earlier contract or addresses separate operational needs.
The announcement follows a similar contract awarded by PDO in May to Omani contractor Abraj Energy Services. That five-year deal, valued at approximately RO 120 million, involved the expansion and upgrading of existing hydraulic fracturing services, including the deployment of an additional fracturing fleet and the introduction of advanced operations targeting gas wells. Abraj reported that the contract increased its order backlog to RO 953 million as of June.
Hydraulic fracturing plays a critical role in enhancing the flow of oil and gas through underground rock formations, particularly in reservoirs where hydrocarbons are more difficult to extract. The technique aids operators in improving the output of existing wells and accessing resources that might otherwise remain unrecoverable. The quality of results depends heavily on reservoir characteristics and the precision of executed interventions.
In addition to the stimulation contract, SLB has expanded its service portfolio for PDO in recent months. Earlier this year, the company secured two other five-year agreements covering wellhead equipment and artificial lift technologies for Block 6. These contracts include plans to manufacture wellheads at SLB’s Al Rusayl facility and assemble electric submersible pumps at its Nizwa center, facilitating local manufacturing and technical expertise development.
These developments reflect PDO’s continued reliance on both international service companies and local contractors to deliver specialized technologies and expertise essential to maintaining and enhancing upstream oil and gas operations in Oman.