SLB, Liberty Energy partner to supply data center parts and power

SLB announced on Tuesday a partnership with Liberty Energy to supply modular data center components and power generation capacity as both firms pursue opportunities in the AI infrastructure boom. Under the deal, SLB will design and supply modular and prefabricated components for data center projects, while Liberty will provide natural gas-fired power generation. The partnership extends a broader industry trend in which oilfield contractors are moving beyond traditional services to supply power equipment, turbines, and data solutions.

SLB's involvement in AI data centers is already substantial. The company is a design partner for modular AI data centers built on Nvidia technology and is collaborating with Nvidia on a platform called AI Factory for Energy, intended to help oil and gas producers and power companies apply AI to operational data. This positions SLB as a supplier not only of physical infrastructure but also of AI capabilities to traditional energy sector customers.

The scale of SLB's modular data center business is significant. Since April 2024, SLB has shipped more than 1.3 GW of prefabricated modular data center infrastructure and expects cumulative deliveries to exceed 2 GW globally by year-end. Liberty's commitment is equally substantial: the company plans to deploy about 3 GW of power projects by 2029. These figures underscore that the partnership is addressing real, immediate demand rather than speculative future needs. The two firms have a prior relationship: SLB sold its North American hydraulic fracturing business to Liberty in 2020, establishing a foundation for the current collaboration.

The partnership reflects a strategic pivot by traditional oilfield services companies to capture new revenue streams from the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Rather than retreat as energy transition pressures mount, firms like SLB are leveraging their expertise in large-scale industrial construction, modular engineering, and power supply to serve hyperscalers (large cloud providers) and AI companies building data centers. The deal also signals that energy firms see data center power supply as a durable business: Liberty's plan to deploy about 3 GW of power projects by 2029 suggests confidence in sustained AI infrastructure demand.

SLB's existing work with Nvidia—both as a design partner for modular AI data centers and as a collaborator on the AI Factory for Energy platform—positions the company at the intersection of two massive trends: AI scaling and AI adoption in traditional industries. The 1.3 GW already shipped since April 2024, with deliveries expected to exceed 2 GW by year-end, indicates these are not hypothetical future deals but active, large-scale orders. This scale of deployment also reflects the intensity of data center buildout driving demand for modular, prefabricated components that can be deployed faster than traditionally constructed facilities.