US energy technology giant boosts Singapore footprint

US services giant Baker Hughes has added another facility to its Singapore repertoire, opening a new oilfield services chemicals manufacturing facility in the Lion City.

The approximate 40,000-square kilometre facility opened on Tuesday enables the manufacture, optimisation and faster delivery of fit-for-purpose chemical solutions for upstream, midstream, downstream and adjacent industries to support regional customers and boost Baker Hughes’ localisation efforts.

The new facility builds on Baker Hughes’ recent strategy to source and produce chemicals in proximity to key demand hubs, such as the chemicals joint venture company with Dussur in Saudi Arabia.

Goals for carbon reduction

As a technology-driven, automated facility, the latest Singapore offering is aligned with Baker Hughes’ goals for carbon reduction and in support of the country’s Green Plan 2030 – a national sustainability movement to tackle climate change for building a sustainable future with net zero emissions. The facility’s overall process design, in addition its ethylene oxide pipeline, also reduces the need for road transport and handling of chemicals.

“The opening of the Singapore chemicals manufacturing facility significantly expands our ability to serve the Asia Pacific region’s oilfield services industry,” said Maria Claudia Borras, executive vice president for oilfield services at Baker Hughes.

“The opening of this facility is aligned to our vision of supporting customers’ needs and investing for growth in the increasingly important chemicals sector. We are proud to make this investment, and I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Baker Hughes chief executive Lorenzo Simonelli added that Baker Hughes has a longstanding commitment to localisation in the region.

“By investing in this facility, we are enabling job creation, enhancing supply chain practices and streamlining our operations,” Simonelli said.

This is the first chemicals facility for Baker Hughes in the region. Outside of chemicals, the company currently has more than 800 employees throughout Singapore including at an oilfield services and equipment manufacturing site, a joint turbomachinery and process solutions and digital solutions site, and a completions and well intervention manufacturing site.

In conjunction with the facility opening, the Baker Hughes Foundation on Tuesday announced it is in discussions to contribute a US$100,000 grant with the Singapore Management University to help drive positive social change in Singapore.