The contract from ExxonMobil Guyana is related to the Whiptail oilfield development in the Stabroek block in Guyanese waters while the contract from Equinor is for the Raia pre-salt gas and condensate field in Brazil’s Campos Basin
Saipem awarded two offshore contracts in Guyana and Brazil. (Credit: SAIPEM SpA)
Italian oil and gas contractor Saipem has won two offshore contracts with a combined worth of $1.9bn, with one of them awarded by ExxonMobil in Guyana, and the other from Equinor in Brazil.
ExxonMobil’s subsidiary ExxonMobil Guyana has awarded contract to the Italian firm for the proposed Whiptail oilfield development in the Stabroek block at a water depth of around 2,000m.
Saipem’s responsibilities encompass the design, fabrication, and installation of subsea structures, flowlines, risers, and umbilicals for a significant subsea production facility.
The company will deploy its FDS2, Constellation, and Castorone vessels as part of the contract work.
Saipem will also establish a key fabrication site at its Guyana Offshore Construction Facility in the Port of Georgetown.
Pending government approvals and project sanction by ExxonMobil Guyana and its Stabroek block partners, along with authorisation for the final phase, this award will enable Saipem to commence limited activities. These include detailed engineering and procurement.
The contract from Equinor is for the Raia project. It calls for the development of a pre-salt gas and condensate field in the Campos Basin, located nearly 200km offshore the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Saipem’s scope of work includes the offshore transport and installation of a subsea gas export line and associated equipment in water depths of approximately 2,900m. The company will also have to undertake horizontal drilling activities for the shore approach.
Its pipelaying vessel Castorone will be deployed for the installation works.
The Raia project is expected to be of one of Brazil’s most crucial gas development initiatives, potentially constituting 15% of the country’s total domestic demand.
According to Saipem, the gas drawn from the project will be conveyed through pipelines installed by the company over a distance of approximately 200km. This will be from the field to a gas receiving facility to be constructed in Cabiúnas, located in Macaé in the State of Rio de Janeiro.
The company stated: “The two awards confirm, once again, the competitiveness of Saipem’s offer in bidding processes and the ability to build long term partnerships based on consistent performances. Moreover, they further strengthen the visibility on Saipem’s key assets utilisation throughout 2027.”