KEY POINTS
- Saipem secures new and extended offshore drilling contracts from Eni worth $135 million.
- Operations span Ghana, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Libya, and upcoming projects in Indonesia.
- The deals ensure continued activity for Saipem’s rigs Santorini, Deep Value Driller, and Scarabeo 9 through early 2026.
Italian oilfield services giant Saipem has secured a string of new contracts and extensions from energy company Eni, valued at approximately $135 million, reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s foremost offshore drilling operators.
The deals cover operations across West Africa, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, ensuring Saipem’s rigs remain active and strategically positioned as global exploration activities pick up.
Saipem Strengthens Offshore Presence in Africa and Asia
The company’s seventh-generation drillship, Santorini, will continue operations off the coasts of Ghana and Ivory Coast, extending its ongoing collaboration with Eni.
The vessel’s renewed assignment secures operational continuity ahead of its next major campaign in the Mediterranean Sea.
This latest extension builds on a two-year agreement signed in 2023, underscoring Saipem’s steady partnership with Eni and its ability to sustain key exploration programmes across multiple regions.
Meanwhile, the Deep Value Driller, a 2014-built drillship managed under a bareboat charter by Saipem, has wrapped up its latest campaign for Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Limited. It will now head to Indonesia for a new offshore project expected to commence before the end of 2025.
Saipem’s 2011-built semisubmersible rig, Scarabeo 9, has also successfully concluded its drilling campaign in Egypt for Burullus Gas. The rig has since redeployed to Libya, where it has started operations under a fresh Eni contract that will keep it active until early 2026.
These deals highlight Saipem’s growing operational footprint across Africa’s oil and gas frontiers, even as the company positions itself to capture new opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region.
