HOUSTON--Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB) isn't seeing signs of a
slowdown in international activity, despite increasing concerns
related to a shaky global economy, Chief Executive Paal Kibsgaard
told investors Friday.
"Absent a future setback to the world economy, we're expecting
10% international growth" in operations this year, he said during a
conference call.
In the U.S., however, the company expects the trend of falling
hydraulic-fracturing margins to continue into the next quarter, as
the market is still dealing with excess capacity, especially for
pressure-pumping services. But increased activity in the U.S. Gulf
of Mexico is offsetting declining margins in fracking services, Mr.
Kibsgaard said.
Mr. Kibsgaard highlighted increased demand for "high end"
oil-field services in China and said Russia is on track to be one
of the company's fastest-growing markets.
He said Argentina's nationalization of energy company YPF SA
(YPF, YPFD.BA) creates some short-term uncertainty, but the
company's outlook is positive in the medium and long term.
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