US based subsea company, Oceaneering International, has been re-awarded a contract to provide remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services and integrated solutions for ExxonMobil’s offshore Block 15 in Angola.
The three-year contract was secured through a competitive bidding process and the execution has commenced already.
“Securing this contract renewal with Esso, a key customer, through a competitive process reinforces our position as a trusted partner in Angola’s offshore energy sector.
“This award not only reflects our capabilities in-country for subsea robotics and intervention services but also supports our continued growth in a strategically important region,” said Martin McDonald, Subsea Robotics Senior Vice President at Oceaneering.
In addition to ROV services, the contract also covers:
- Intervention workover control systems (IWOCS)
- Satellite communication systems
- Subsea inspection
- Hydrate remediation
- Engineering services
These services will be deployed using ExxonMobil-supplied facilities, intervention vessels, and drilling rigs.
The contract is projected to generate between $80 million and $90 million in revenue for Oceaneering, and help sustain ExxonMobil’s production over the contract period.
The development is in sync with Angola’s broader plan to attract up to $60 billion in upstream investment by 2029.
Since its exit from OPEC in 2024, Angola has been working to maintain oil production above 1 million barrels per day through 2027.
What you should know
This contract award follows ExxonMobil’s recent renewal of its production sharing contract (PSC) for Block 15 operations, extending its tenure until 2037.
Block 15 began production in 2003 and is considered one of Angola’s legacy oil projects. It includes four FPSOs: Kizomba A, Kizomba B, Mondo, and Saxi-Batuque.
Over its 30 years of production, Block 15 has attracted more than $47 billion in total investment, including $12 billion from ExxonMobil alone.
The U.S. oil giant operates the deepwater block in partnership with:
- Azule Energy (a joint venture between Eni and BP)
- Equinor
- Sonangol
ExxonMobil also holds a 20% interest in neighboring Block 17, where its operational license was recently renewed. The block is operated by TotalEnergies (40%), with other partners including Equinor (23.33%) and BP (16.67%).
