Saipem pre-qualified for major North African gas project

Saipem has been pre-qualified for a major North African energy project. The Italian multinational has announced it is in the running to carry out engineering, procurement, construction, and installation work on a significant gas production platform off the Libyan coast.

The platform, known as Structure E, is part of an £8 billion development by Mellitah Oil and Gas, a joint venture between Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation. The project aims to bolster gas production for the Libyan domestic market and increase exports to Europe, with a target output of 750 million cubic feet per day by 2026.

Gervio Elia, Saipem’s CEO for East North Africa and Cyprus, described the platform as “one of the largest production platforms in the Mediterranean,” noting the scale of the undertaking: “This will be a challenge, as it is a platform weighing more than 60,000 tonnes, with one of the largest metal structures in this sector.”

This development marks a crucial step in enhancing energy security for both Libya and Europe, with Saipem potentially playing a key role in its realisation.