![]() "Any new Global SLB Group-wide systems/applications should not be connected to or accessible by Russia," SLB told employees in a late-March memo viewed by Reuters. Russian employees are now barred from using certain company message boards. In recent weeks, SLB also blocked its Russian workers from accessing some software and data stored in the U.S. Technology restrictions increased and were more heavily emphasized in SLB communications starting in February, the employee said. "It seems there is a change in tone about Russia," said an employee who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak on the record. The latter two now report up to Asia and while Russia is a standalone unit, the source said. ![]() ![]() Some of SLB's initiatives have been implemented last month, a person familiar with the matter said, citing an internal reshuffling of its Russia, Caspian and Kazakhstan units. Both last year also restricted financial transactions with Russia and placed export restrictions on certain energy equipment, technology and services. nor the European Union have required western oil companies to leave Russia but barred new investment. Since then, its workforce in the region has declined to around 9,600, according to a source familiar with the matter, Russia's portion of its revenue has now fallen to around 5% from 6% at the end of 2022, according to SLB financial disclosures. The business contributed roughly 6% of its $28.1 billion in revenue at the end of 2022. ![]() SLB had some 10,000 employees in Russia helping Gazprom Neft, Rosneft and other top energy firms pump more oil and gas when the war began last year. Department of Commerce declined to comment on the new internal restrictions implemented by SLB. expanded sanctions on Russia, including some targeting its mining and metals sector. Reuters was unable to establish why SLB implemented new restrictions on its Russian business. The changes "ensure our employees comply with all evolving sanctions," the person added. Among them are recently enacted "additional controls restricting the shipment of all SLB-manufactured products and technology from the United States, United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada" to Russia, the spokesperson said. "As the international sanctions have evolved, we have taken further actions to curtail our activities, often beyond sanction requirements," an SLB spokesperson said. But as the war and sanctions drag on, the company has warned business is slowing. The Curacao-domiciled company's moves come after Reuters reported in January that SLB had boosted operations in Russia by cherry-picking service and equipment contracts from rivals who left. Now, the former Schlumberger is tightening equipment transfers, barring Russian employees from accessing certain software and messaging systems, and walling off the unit from other operations, according to documents and two people familiar with the matter and confirmed by a SLB spokesperson. While SLB wasn't in breach of sanctions, the decision has triggered a backlash from employees and human rights groups. SLB, the world's largest oil services and equipment provider, last year rejected calls from human rights groups to withdraw from Russia as Western rivals exited quickly after the invasion of Ukraine. May 10 (Reuters) - SLB (SLB.N) has made several operational and structural changes to keep its Russian business in compliance with Western sanctions on oil equipment and technology transfers, as it aims to ride out efforts to curb Russia's use of energy to finance its war efforts.
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