The National Hydrocarbons Company of Mozambique (ENH – EP) and the American multinational Baker Hughes have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint company dedicated to providing specialized technical services for hydrocarbon drilling and exploration activities in Mozambique.

The agreement was formalized in Florence, Italy, on the sidelines of the annual Baker Hughes conference, held from 27 to 30 January under the theme “The Energy Equation.”

Mozambican majority ownership

Under the terms of the memorandum, a new consortium will be created in which ENH Exploration, a company fully owned by ENH Serviços—a subsidiary of ENH—will hold 51% of the share capital, while Baker Hughes will hold the remaining 49%.

This ownership structure guarantees a Mozambican majority stake and reflects the national strategy to strengthen local content and domestic participation in the major liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects currently being developed in the country.

Scope of services for upstream operations

The future joint entity will compete in the Mozambican and regional markets to provide highly specialized services in key upstream segments of the oil and gas value chain, including:

  • Well construction and completion

  • Well intervention and measurements

  • Petroleum product and production solutions

  • Subsea and surface pressure control systems

The portfolio of services will cover, among others:

  • Supply of drill bits

  • Drilling fluids

  • Pressure pumping services

  • Wireline services

  • Artificial lift systems

  • Subsea engineering and project execution

These services are critical for both offshore and onshore hydrocarbon exploration and production activities, especially in complex deepwater gas developments such as those planned in Mozambique.

Strengthening local participation in LNG projects

According to the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of ENH Exploration, Mónica Juvane, the initiative represents a major milestone for the Mozambican energy sector.

Quoted by the lngani portal, she stated that the partnership will significantly expand the participation of Mozambican companies and professionals in the gas industry value chain.

“We are ensuring the training of national professionals to respond to the different needs of the market, as well as generating revenue for the country in foreign currency,” said Mónica Juvane.

Inspired by international national oil company models

During the conference, the ENH executive highlighted that the strategy follows successful models adopted by major national oil and gas companies around the world, such as:

  • Sonangol (Angola)

  • Petrobras (Brazil)

  • Sonatrach (Algeria)

  • NNPC (Nigeria)

These companies consolidated their positions in the global energy market after forming strategic partnerships with international operators and service providers, combining domestic ownership with access to advanced technology and global operational experience.

Alignment with ENH’s 2024–2034 Strategic Plan

The creation of the consortium is fully aligned with ENH’s Strategic Plan for 2024–2034, which was recently approved and places strong emphasis on:

  • Strengthening national technical capacity

  • Retaining financial resources within Mozambique’s domestic economy

  • Expanding the role of Mozambican entities in high-value segments of the upstream oil and gas industry

By developing local service capabilities, ENH aims to reduce dependence on foreign service providers and increase the share of national companies in large-scale energy projects.

Training of Mozambican professionals already underway

As part of the capacity-building component of the partnership, 12 Mozambican professionals are currently undergoing technical training in Dubai.

This initial phase focuses on specialized technical skills required in advanced drilling and production operations. After completing this stage, the trainees are expected to join on-the-job training programmes in international projects where Baker Hughes operates.

According to ENH, this training programme represents a significant financial investment by both partners and is designed to ensure the long-term transfer of technology, operational expertise and international best practices to Mozambican professionals.

Strategic impact for Mozambique’s oil and gas sector

The ENH–Baker Hughes partnership is expected to play a strategic role in supporting Mozambique’s growing LNG and upstream hydrocarbons sector, by:

  • Increasing local technical and operational capacity

  • Enhancing competitiveness of Mozambican service providers

  • Creating qualified employment opportunities

  • Retaining more value within the national economy

The new joint company is positioned to become one of the main technical service providers supporting current and future oil and gas developments in Mozambique.