Companies target faster global rollout of AI-linked capacity
SLB and Liberty Energy Inc. Announced on 14 July 2026 that they plan to form a strategic alliance for new data centre projects worldwide. The agreement combines modular infrastructure with integrated power generation for developers racing to add AI capacity.
SLB trades on the NYSE under SLB, while Liberty Energy trades under LBRT.
Under the planned alliance, SLB will provide modular infrastructure, project execution and global market reach. Liberty will supply modular power generation systems, behind-the-metre intelligent power controls and operational expertise.
AI and high-performance computing are driving unprecedented demand for data centre capacity. Developers are adding compute capacity faster, while also seeking power that can come online without waiting for a traditional grid connection.
Many developers now want behind-the-metre power that can run independently of the grid. They also want better reliability, higher efficiency and more flexibility as power needs rise.
SLB shipped 1.3 gigawatts since 2024
Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy and Industrial business, summed up the pressure on the sector: “The bottleneck in AI infrastructure is no longer just compute. It is the ability to deliver infrastructure and power on the timelines the market now demands.”
Since April 2024, SLB has shipped more than 1.3 gigawatts of prefabricated modular infrastructure for data centre projects. The company expects cumulative deliveries to exceed 2 gigawatts globally by the end of 2026.
That shipment record gives SLB recent scale in modular build-outs for data centres. As a result, the alliance can point to delivered capacity as well as planned technology.
Meanwhile, Liberty adds generation and controls designed for on-site use. Its role covers modular power systems, behind-the-metre intelligent controls and the operating know-how needed to keep those systems running.
The companies also plan to work on technologies for future data centre energy systems. Those areas include hybrid power systems, digital energy management and advanced power architectures.
Ron Gusek, Liberty Energy’s chief executive officer, linked the move to changing power design needs in AI infrastructure. He said customers increasingly want tailored, integrated solutions as the scale and complexity of projects rise.
Gusek also pointed to Liberty’s long-standing relationship with SLB. He said Liberty’s power service platform is engineered to address immediate capacity constraints while supporting the next generation of energy systems.
