A growing oilfield services portfolio in Angola and Namibia

November 19, 2025

Raul Costa, managing director of Tubostrans, talks to The Energy Year about new developments at the company’s facilities, challenges that local oilfield service providers face in Angola, training local staff and strategy for entering the Namibian market. Tubostrans is an Angolan oilfield services company.

What key developments should we be aware of regarding your services and recent contracts?
We have continued growing our portfolio of services to expand and be available to additional operators in Angola. TotalEnergies remains our core client; they are the ones who gave us our initial opportunity.
Tubostrans has secured a contract with Azule Energy for fishing services, and together with Kaeso, we were able to secure a filtration and WBCU [wellbore cleanup] contract. We have developed a partnership with Kaeso to provide wellbore cleanup services in Angola, and Kaeso subcontracted the filtration scope to Tubostrans.
Additionally, we are interested in working with Chevron by providing pumping services and modular offshore cranes. With these service expansions in place, we anticipate getting into slickline services. Equipment is available, and Tubostrans is actively working on securing a contract. This service will be provided independently.

How have your operational facilities evolved recently?
We are extending our workshop capacity and also aiming to get more licences. In 2024, we secured a licence from NOV, Grant Prideco, and in 2025, our goal is to get the Tenaris licence. We have two facilities, one in Talatona and one in Viana. The Talatona facility is our showroom, where we have a bit of everything for clients to see, such as our fishing tools and slickline equipment.
If a client needs equipment, the Talatona facility makes operations much easier to access. Viana is our API machine shop to repair or fabricate our clients’ equipment and conduct special welding.

 

What are some of the challenges that local service providers are facing in Angola?
I believe all the local companies are facing the same challenge: trading in local currency. This has been a key factor and a huge barrier because everything is imported – equipment, consumables, etc – and we are exposed to the exchange rates. It’s impossible to be competitive while getting paid in our local currency.
I am aware that the ANPG is helping local companies develop. However, getting paid in kwanzas makes it impossible for upcoming companies to start or even grow. It’s a matter of changing the law and allowing businesses in the oil and gas sector to pay and invoice in USD. Personally, I feel this change would drastically help the Angolan economy.

Can you share insights on your experience with training local staff?
One of our goals this year was to focus on training our machine shop personnel. We initiated a programme to train our Angolan employees to become certified machinists. Tubostrans reached out to a company in the UAE to get our locals trained and certified in welding. As of now, we proudly staff four Angolan welders, who are certified for hardfacing.

What is your strategy for entering the Namibian market?
The company is very excited about Namibia. We don’t have clients yet, but we have already acquired a facility in Walvis Bay, in a well-known industrial area 700 metres from the port. One of the biggest advantages of this investment is that we didn’t lose time with construction and licensing. The property contains four warehouses and an office that were essentially ready for full operation.
All the equipment that we have in Angola will also be available in Namibia. Some equipment is already on site at the facility. We believe that by the end of Q4 2025, the facility in Namibia will be ready. Be on the lookout!

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