Betting on local talent and AI to strengthen energy resilience
Belgacem Merad, senior vice president for the Middle East & North Africa, Weatherford. (Image source: Weatherford)
In an exclusive interview with Oil Review Middle East, Belgacem Merad, senior vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at Weatherford, discusses how the company is expanding its focus in the Middle East on regional manufacturing, unconventional resources and digital technology as producers navigate supply disruptions
Speaking on the sidelines of ADIPEC 2026 in Abu Dhabi, Merad said that the company is prioritising local talent, manufacturing and artificial intelligence to strengthen its Middle East operations as geopolitical tensions put renewed pressure on global energy supply chains.
The region's extensive production infrastructure, export capabilities and alternative transportation routes would remain critical to global energy security despite ongoing disruptions.
Merad expressed confidence in the region's ability to maintain its position as a dependable energy supplier, pointing to its diverse hydrocarbon resources, established infrastructure and growing investment in technology.
The Middle East's ability to produce, transport and export energy through different routes gives it a strategic advantage, he said, particularly as producers look to improve the resilience and flexibility of their operations.
Beyond its conventional oil and gas resources, the region has also invested in lower-carbon energy initiatives and technologies designed to improve operational efficiency.
AI is emerging as another important tool for producers seeking to strengthen reliability, reduce costs and improve safety across increasingly complex operations.
Merad said the region's long-term outlook remained positive despite the challenges facing the energy industry, with recent disruptions reinforcing the importance of investment in resilient infrastructure and supply chains.
Local talent drives growth
For Weatherford, expanding its regional business is closely tied to developing local expertise and increasing manufacturing capabilities in the markets where it operates.
Merad identified investment in local talent as his leading priority, highlighting the growing number of graduates entering the energy industry and progressing into technical and operational leadership positions. The company is seeking to deepen its engagement with universities and attract skilled graduates earlier in their careers, while developing the next generation of industry leaders.
Localisation, he argued, is not simply about meeting national employment targets but about building a more competitive and sustainable business.
"It makes sense economically to hire from where we operate," Merad said.
Employing local professionals also improves operational continuity, strengthens relationships with customers and gives Weatherford a better understanding of the requirements of individual markets. These advantages become particularly important during periods of disruption, when companies need to maintain operations without relying excessively on international personnel or supply chains.
The company is also investing in regional manufacturing and partnerships to increase local content and strengthen supply security. In the UAE, Weatherford operates a manufacturing centre that exports products to more than 40 countries, demonstrating how regional facilities can serve both domestic and international markets.
Merad said the objective was to combine manufacturing in the UAE with the development of local expertise and export capabilities, creating a regional industrial base that supports Weatherford's global operations. The strategy also aligns with government efforts across the Gulf to expand domestic industrial capacity, develop technical skills and increase the economic contribution of the energy sector.
Unconventional resources offer opportunities
Weatherford also sees significant opportunities in the development of unconventional oil and gas resources, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Merad said the company's acquisition of NCS Multistage was designed to strengthen its well completion and stimulation capabilities, adding technologies that can improve reservoir performance and production efficiency. The acquisition expands Weatherford's capabilities in multistage completions, stimulation technologies and reservoir diagnostics.
Combining these technologies with its existing portfolio will allow the company to better identify productive sections of wells, understand communication between wells and distinguish areas producing oil from those producing water.
These capabilities are particularly relevant to unconventional developments, where operators require more precise reservoir management and increasingly sophisticated completion techniques.
Merad described unconventional resources as "a big growth vector in the region here."
The acquisition is expected to strengthen Weatherford's position in both the Middle East and international markets as producers seek to maximise recovery and improve the economics of complex reservoirs.
AI to improve efficiency and safety
Digitalisation represents another major opportunity for Weatherford as energy companies seek to extract greater value from operational data.
Merad said the industry generates enormous volumes of information from downhole equipment, drilling operations and surface facilities, but much of it remains underutilised. He estimated that only a fraction of the available data is currently being used, leaving significant scope for improvements in productivity, equipment reliability and operational safety.
Weatherford is deploying automation technologies designed to reduce the number of personnel required on drilling rigs while enabling specialists to monitor equipment remotely. One example involves automating equipment used during drilling operations, reducing human exposure to potentially hazardous environments.
The company is also using predictive analytics to anticipate equipment failures, particularly in artificial lift systems, allowing operators to plan maintenance before disruptions occur. Better forecasting can help extend equipment life, minimise downtime and improve the scheduling of drilling and intervention rigs, which often need to be booked months in advance.
Merad said integrating data across drilling, completion and production activities could deliver substantial efficiency gains by improving coordination between different stages of operations.
For Weatherford, however, the broader objective extends beyond introducing new technologies. The company wants to position itself as a long-term strategic partner capable of addressing customers' operational challenges, rather than simply supplying equipment and services.
Merad said solutions must be tailored to the specific needs of each customer, whether through technology, products, services or a combination of capabilities. The ultimate goal, he added, is to help producers lower their overall cost per barrel while maintaining safe, efficient and reliable operations.
