Kellton & Action Energy launch GCC digital venture
Tue, 7th Jul 2026 (Today)
Kellton Tech EU and Action Energy have formed a joint venture to pursue digital transformation projects in the Gulf energy sector, with a focus on Gulf Cooperation Council markets.
The partnership brings together a Europe-based Kellton subsidiary and Kuwait-based Action Energy. Action Energy will hold a 51% stake and Kellton Tech EU 49%. The agreement runs for an initial five years and renews automatically for successive three-year terms.
The venture will cover Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. It will offer digital oilfield services as well as broader information technology products and services across multiple sectors, including enterprise software, cloud computing, cybersecurity, enterprise resource planning implementation, systems integration and managed services.
At the centre of its oil and gas offering is OPTIMA, Kellton's digital oilfield management platform, designed to support field operations, workflow automation, asset monitoring and data-driven decision-making for energy operators in the region.
Action Energy brings an established presence in Kuwait's upstream market. The company employs more than 1,700 people and operates 20 rigs in Kuwait. Its services span drilling, workover, directional drilling, slickline, coiled tubing, cementing, mud engineering, electric submersible pumps, inspection and workshop support.
The arrangement also highlights the importance of local access in Gulf energy markets, where long-standing relationships with national operators can shape contract opportunities. Action Energy said its ties with Kuwait Oil Company would support the rollout of the joint venture's services.
Regional push
Beyond Kuwait, the partners have identified Qatar as an early base for expansion and plan to open an office in Doha. They see this as the first step in building a broader presence across the GCC, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman.
The companies are entering a market where oil producers and service firms face growing pressure to improve efficiency, reduce operational delays and make better use of field data. That has increased demand for software, automation and remote monitoring tools across upstream operations, particularly in countries investing heavily in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.
Kellton said the venture combines its capabilities in artificial intelligence, digital engineering, cloud, cybersecurity and data with Action Energy's customer relationships and operating footprint. Kellton describes itself as having more than 2,000 professionals across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
For Action Energy, the deal marks an expansion from conventional oilfield services into software-led operational support. The company said the addressable market for oil and gas digitalisation across the GCC exceeds USD 1 billion a year and that it aims over time to capture at least 5% of that market.
The partners are launching the venture as Gulf states seek to build domestic artificial intelligence industries while keeping oil and gas production competitive. National energy companies in the region have increased spending on analytics, automation and connected field systems in pursuit of tighter operational control and better asset visibility.
Krishna Chintam, Director at Kellton Tech EU, said: "The GCC is becoming one of the world's most ambitious markets for AI adoption and enterprise transformation. This joint venture pairs local market strength with global technology expertise so organizations can transform at scale. Together with Action Energy Company, we can bring AI-led innovation, industry-specific solutions, and the full capabilities of OPTIMA to customers across the region and deliver measurable outcomes for enterprises entering the next phase of digital transformation. The joint venture establishes a long-term platform for AI-powered innovation across the GCC energy ecosystem, positioning energy organizations to modernize operations and unlock new growth opportunities and efficiency. We are delighted to partner with Action Energy Company to bring these capabilities to market at scale. Together, we look forward to helping operators across the region modernize their operations and unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency."
Action Energy outlined the new business's commercial target in its own remarks.
"This JV advances AEC's strategy to expand its oilfield services by digitally modernizing field operations and enhancing quality. The addressable market for oil and gas digitalization across the GCC exceeds US$1 billion annually, and our objective is to capture at least 5% of this market over time. By combining AEC's broad operational footprint, strong industry relationships, and commitment to local content development and knowledge transfer with the Subsidiary's advanced AI and digital capabilities, we are well positioned to deliver intelligent, data-driven solutions that improve operational performance, create long-term value for our clients and shareholders, and support the modernization of the GCC energy sector," said Ivan Chikunov, General Manager of Services & BD at Action Energy.