SLB, a global technology company driving energy innovation for a
balanced planet marks its 70th anniversary in Australia—a testament
to seven decades of innovation, collaboration, and dedication to
shaping the country’s energy sector.

SLB’s journey in Australia began in 1954 with pioneering wireline logging at Cape Range 1, setting the foundation for the nation’s evolving energy landscape. Through the late 1950s and 1960s, SLB played a key role in oil and gas exploration, contributing to significant discoveries in Queensland, Barrow Island, South Australia, and the Bass Strait—securing Australia’s energy supply for decades. By the mid-1970s, SLB revolutionized exploration with the integration of real-time data interpretation at well sites, solidifying its industry leadership. As 1980s unfolded, SLB extended its expertise from exploration to drilling, completion, and production. Its contribution to major projects, such as the North West Shelf, was instrumental. During the LNG boom of the 2010s, SLB's cutting-edge technology and scaled operations led to breakthroughs in factory drilling for coal seam gas (CSG) and key LNG projects in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. These efforts helped Australia rise as a global leader in LNG, showcasing SLB’s lasting impact.
 

SLB’s commitment to Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) is woven into the company’s fabric. The 1990s saw
the introduction of driver monitors to improve road safety, and today, AI-powered in-vehicle cameras enhance
the safety of SLB’s teams. In their workshops, secure environments for all operations are created, powered by
AI-driven advanced safety monitoring systems. In a groundbreaking move, SLB Australia became the first in the
company to address psychosocial safety, recognizing mental well-being as a vital part of HSE. This holistic approach 
to employee safety—covering both physical and mental health—earned SLB the 2024 International SOS Workplace Wellbeing Global Award, further solidifying its leadership in creating a safe and inclusive workplace.

From the early days of in-field computing to guiding customers throughout their energy journey, SLB has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology. The introduction of Petrel™ software   in the 1990s transformed the industry with advanced 3D modeling and seismic interpretation, unlocking previously untapped resources.

Today, SLB continues to lead, driving innovation with open-source data platforms and cutting-edge generative AI to uncover hidden opportunities, deliver deeper insights, unlock decarbonization opportunities.

The digital landscape is at a pivotal moment, with AI ready to transform the energy sector. By integrating AI at the edge with real-time operations, autonomous drilling and production can become a reality to accelerate this shift, a collaboration with NVIDIA, leveraging NVIDIA NeMo™ to create a custom AI solutions deployable across edge, cloud and data centers.

The SLB Lumi™ platform harnesses data to unlock AI’s full potential, providing a secure and scalable solution for digital transformation. Digital technology plays a pivotal role in driving sustainability and decarbonization goals, with solutions like OptiSite™   enhancing performance and the Digital Sustainability Platform helping companies measure, report, and verify emissions (MRV), driving strategic moves toward net zero.

The SLB OneSubsea joint venture brings tremendous benefits to Australia’s gas and LNG market, accelerating innovation in electrification and subsea compression. SLB with SubSea7 and Aker, is poised to transform the offshore market, enhancing operational efficiency and supporting Australia’s transition to low-carbon energy.

With a strong 20-year track record in carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects across Australia, and the recent collaboration with Mitsui E&P, SLB is taking a larger role in scaling low-carbon energy projects to help achieve Australia's Net Zero target.

In early 2024, SLB successfully completed a fully integrated CO2 injection test for the Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU) Cygnus Hub Project, marking a significant milestone in advancing CCS efforts. By deploying the Olga™ dynamic multiphase flow simulator
and Symmetry™ process simulation software, SLB precisely engineered a bespoke solution to meet the project's unique demands, injecting 100% of the available pressurized CO2. Through advanced modeling technologies, the SLB team meticulously simulated the entire injection process, allowing them to manage CO2 behavior under varying conditions and develop strategies to mitigate associated risks. This innovative approach ensured compliance with regulatory standards and demonstrated the scalability of CCS solutions.

In the renewables space, SLB’s partnership with RayGen is revolutionizing energy storage with a pioneering pilot project in Carwarp, Victoria featuring 4MW of solar and 50 MWh of storage. This project, featuring the world’s largest next-generation thermal hydro long-duration energy storage system, is capable of delivering 17 hours of continuous power to the grid. Moreover, SLB’s Strategic Deployment Agreement (SDA) with RayGen will accelerate market entry including international expansion and support the commercialisation and deployment of RayGen’s technology, enhancing project pipelines, manufacturing capacity and vendor network contributing to an energy efficient future.
 

SLB's commitment to sustainability goes beyond its operations, extending into the communities it serves. They have increased spending with Indigenous-owned suppliers by over 300% and sponsored First Nations students through their Reconciliation Action Plan. Their partnership with the Santos Foundation to bring solar power to a vocational training center in Papua New Guinea has been transformative, empowering local communities and enhancing education for hundreds of students. Additionally, SLB’s local hiring and talent development initiatives with schools and universities, such as their collaboration with the University of Western Australia’s Girls in Engineering Program, encourage female students to pursue STEM careers, contributing to the growth of a more inclusive and sustainable future.

 

SLB’s success is deeply rooted in the strength of its people. They believe their workforce embodies a unique blend of teamwork, mateship, integrity, and resourcefulness—values that reflect the SLB spirit and the Australian ethos. From the early days to today, their people have been the foundation of their progress, driving innovation by challenging conventions and pushing boundaries. By recruiting locally while fostering global experiences, SLB has built a diverse workforce that remains the core of every success.

The future is bright, and together with our people, our valued customers, and business partners, we can shape a sustainable tomorrow. This is our moment to lead and take innovation and collaboration to new heights. It starts with us; it starts today!” said Najib Gharib, Managing Director for SLB Australasia.

For more information visit SLB in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste | SLB

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