TotalEnergies Urges Namibian Suppliers to Focus on Specialised Skills for Oil and Gas Opportunities
TotalEnergies EP Namibia has urged local companies seeking oil and gas opportunities to concentrate on specialised skills rather than offering broad, unfocused services.
Speaking at a supplier engagement session, Veronica Mungonena, Lead Contracts and Procurement Engineer for Local Content at TotalEnergies, emphasised that companies often approach the operator asking for guidance on what they should do, instead of refining and promoting the capabilities they already possess.
“Suppliers are encouraged to specialise in one or two areas and build capacity, rather than trying to provide everything. We often observe that Namibian suppliers attempt to do it all and then ask what they should focus on,” Mungonena said.
She highlighted the importance of understanding the oil and gas value chain, explaining that TotalEnergies acts as the engineer, while tier 1 contractors subcontract work to tier 2 and tier 3 companies. Recognising where a business fits within this structure makes it easier to target relevant opportunities.
Mungonena advised suppliers that effective capacity building requires a clear understanding of industry standards, certification requirements, partnership structures, and compliance expectations. She noted that many Namibian firms attempt to cover too many services at once, leaving them unprepared when tenders are issued.
Suppliers may contact TotalEnergies via the published email address, and a supplier portal is being developed to centralise opportunities from the operator and its tier 1 contractors.
“Expressions of interest are posted on our website, and tenders are issued through the e-sourcing portal once initial requirements are met.
Training is available for suppliers unfamiliar with the system. Compliance screening is the first evaluation stage, covering anti-corruption and safety requirements before technical and commercial reviews are conducted,” Mungonena explained.
TotalEnergies’ procurement approach follows local content principles, including maximising qualified local procurement, promoting national workforce participation, and supporting technology and skills transfer.
This guidance coincides with plans by TotalEnergies EP Namibia B.V., in partnership with Impact Oil & Gas, NAMCOR, and QatarEnergy, to develop the Venus oilfield in Namibia’s Orange Basin, according to the company’s draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report.
The ESIA states that the project will involve drilling up to 40 subsea wells, with oil production, storage, and offloading managed by a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.
Located in Block 2913B, the Venus field lies approximately 300 kilometres off Oranjemund and 320 kilometres from Lüderitz in deep waters of around 3,000 metres. The project follows the discovery and appraisal of hydrocarbons in 2022.
The FPSO will separate and store extracted oil before transferring it to tankers for export, while gas will be re-injected into the reservoir to maintain pressure and support sustainable production.
Construction, drilling, and installation activities are expected to take four to six years, with production projected to continue for over 20 years. No onshore production facilities are planned.
