Protecting natural resources

Sustainable water usage, effluent minimization and recycling, consumption and waste reduction, and restorative decommissioning—guided by policies and processes

Nature

SLB is committed to safeguarding our planet’s invaluable natural resource: water.

As part of our ongoing dedication to a balanced planet, water stewardship emerged as a cornerstone of our mission in 2023. We have harnessed our tools and data systems to meticulously track our water footprint and gain a deeper understanding of water risks in the areas where we operate. This crucial step sets the foundation for our initiatives aimed at reducing our environmental impact.

Our approach

Water stewardship

Our approach to water stewardship is rooted in three pillars: measure, reduce, and replenish. Our commitment is to measure, reduce, and replenish water resources, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable future.

Responsible water management is central to our operations. Our vision reaches beyond compliance to encompass a holistic strategy that addresses a spectrum of water-related challenges and opportunities within our industry, fortifying our role as leaders in sustainable operations.

When we take actions relating to water resources, we consider local circumstances such as environmental sensitivities and water availability. We also develop site-specific risk-based water resource management procedures that address the water usage requirements at our facilities and operations, as well as controls and procedures to manage related impacts. A resource management procedure for water generally identifies the applicable sources of water supply and the principal uses of water and includes the following:

risk assessment of the suitability, quality, sustainability, and reliability of the water supply to SLB and to other relevant stakeholders
assessment of opportunities to improve water use efficiency
assessment of the requirements for the treatment process and for potable water over the lifetime of the operation or project
details of applicable permits and licenses that are required to be obtained prior to sourcing water supplies
planned inspection and maintenance programs for water storage and supply infrastructure.

Local impact

Employee engagement with our procedures is integral in establishing robust and sustainable protocol at the local level. Our local SLB Empowerment Teams (SET) provide invaluable assistance in the development of the local procedures and a platform to effectively communicate the activities to the local populations. Water conservation guidance is also provided to our locations to help address local challenges. Sites are encouraged to establish a water usage baseline by reviewing historical data and then developing conservation plans to address the findings. These evaluations can lead to opportunities for the reuse of water in different processes.

In Guyana, we installed a closed-loop water recycling system at our largest facility to conserve water and reduce discharge to sewers. This decreased our impact on local water treatment systems and eliminated the annual need for 200 tote tanks.
In Mexico, installing a new water cycle management system within our onsite wastewater plant has reduced water consumption by 7% and waste discharge by 12.5%.

Tandayi

Prioritizing water management actions in Guyana

Challenge

Management of waste and effluents

SLB is committed to managing and reducing waste and effluents throughout its facilities, and we have set internal objectives focused on effluent management. Most of our sites have waste minimization plans, and some are required to submit waste minimization and pollution prevention progress reports. Our waste management providers are contractually required to comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations at the federal, state, provincial, and local levels. We periodically audit them and hold at least one annual environmental business review with our top providers. Our waste-related data covers 100% of our business operations and includes waste from facilities, manufacturing, building, and remodeling as well as discarded sand from wellsite operations. We reuse materials when possible and continue to seek opportunities to reduce both direct consumption of resources and the waste we generate.

Measure

Our water stewardship journey expanded by establishing a baseline for our operations in 2023. We have developed an integrated system for enhanced water tracking and monitoring. We went beyond water consumption recording within our facilities to include all operations to gain deeper insights into the parameters of our daily operations. This highlighted the business lines with higher water consumption, including drilling fluids, cementing, and well stimulation. To enhance data integrity, we are investing in smart metering for water consumption, targeting facilities in high water-stressed areas.

Reduce

Having established a baseline for water consumption, our next step is to enhance water efficiency and promote water stewardship at our various locations.

In 2023, we launched several projects dedicated to water conservation, water generation, water treatment, and rainwater harvesting. These initiatives harnessed technology, best practices, and water-saving measures to curtail water usage in a range of processes, encompassing operations, cleaning, and manufacturing. Through these projects and other successful local initiatives, we reduced water consumption by more than 250,000 cubic meters.

Replenish

Our vision for water replenishment involves collaborating with local communities and stakeholders to support sustainable water use and management initiatives.

In response to Qatar’s water scarcity, SLB Water Services, in collaboration with government agencies, introduced a pioneering Managed Aquifer Recharge™ solution involving deep recharge wells that extend 400 meters into the ground. This innovative approach has now become fundamental to Qatar’s water management. Each system is licensed by the regulator to handle up to 8,000 cubic meters of treated water daily, contributing to an annual recharge of more than 54 million cubic meters of water into the aquifers, leading to an improvement in the quality of groundwater for the receiving aquifer, which is naturally saline, and enhancing water resources for the future.