Halliburton has been awarded an integrated drilling and completion services contract by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), in partnership with Sunlink Energies, to support the development of the HI gas field in OML 144, offshore Nigeria.
The project will supply feed gas to the Nigeria LNG Train 7 facility.
Under the agreement, Halliburton will provide a comprehensive range of drilling and completion solutions, incorporating LOGIX™ automation and remote operations aimed at improving precision, efficiency, and safety in offshore operations.
The company’s Project Management team will oversee the execution, coordinating services across the lifecycle of the wells to deliver an integrated solution.
“This contract reflects our dedication to deliver integrated solutions that improve performance and efficiency in complex offshore environments,” said Shannon Slocum, President, Eastern Hemisphere at Halliburton.
“Our collaboration with SNEPCo and Sunlink Energies advances the HI gas field and contributes to the future of the energy industry in Nigeria.”
Halliburton’s experience with complex offshore projects and its established presence in Nigeria are expected to support the operational and production objectives of the HI project.
The award also reinforces Halliburton’s ongoing partnership with Shell, highlighting both companies’ commitment to applying advanced technology to upstream gas development and LNG expansion in the country.
The Guardian recalls that in January, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Halliburton West Africa Limited (HWAL) challenging a $6.9 million tax debt owed to the Federal Government.
A five-member panel of Justices delivered a unanimous ruling, upholding the December 2014 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which had directed the company to pay the sum as an additional assessment of its revenue for the period 1996 to 1999.
The Federal Board of Inland Revenue Service (
) had initially assessed HWAL in 2002, asserting that the company owed $6,927,248 arising from contract transactions between HWAL, a Cayman Islands-incorporated company, and its Nigerian affiliate, Halliburton Energy Services Nigeria Limited (HESNL). According to the tax authority, HWAL earned income from contracts executed by HESNL for third parties in Nigeria, billed in United States dollars, and this income was taxable.
HWAL first challenged the assessment before the Body of Appeal Commissioners (BAC) and lost, before seeking relief at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The company argued that the additional tax assessment was invalid and amounted to double taxation, requesting a refund of the amount already paid with interest.
The High Court initially ruled in favour of HWAL, ordering FBIRS to return the $6.9 million. However, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in 2014, affirming the BAC’s determination that the revenue, described as recharges, was taxable.
In the Supreme Court ruling, Justice Emmanuel Agim held that HWAL had failed to prove that its Nigerian subsidiary had been previously assessed on the same revenue. “On the whole, this appeal fails. It lacks merit. It is accordingly dismissed,” he said, emphasising that HWAL and HESNL are separate taxable entities. Justice Agim cited evidence, including exhibit F, to support the ruling.
The apex court also awarded a cost of N2 million against the company.
