Italian energy engineers Saipem wins three contracts worth $3.7Bln in LNG and oil exporting nation Angola

Saipem , the Italian energy and LNG engineering company specialising in subsea work, has been awarded three contracts valued at $3.7 billion in the LNG exporting nation of Angola and on behalf of French major TotalEnergies .

The three Saipem awards are in Angola’s Block 20 oil and gas fields for the Kaminho project relating to the development of the Cameia and Golfinho oil fields, located 100 kilometres (62 miles) off the coast of Angola.

The first contract refers to the engineering, procurement, construction, transportation and commissioning of the Kaminho floating production storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The second contract entails the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the same FPSO for a firm period of 12 years with a potential eight-year extension, leveraging on the expertise acquired from three other FPSOs currently operating in Angolan waters.

The third contract involves the engineering, procurement, supply, construction, installation, pre-commissioning and assistance for the commissioning and start-up of a Subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) package which includes about 30 kilometres of 8-inch and 10-inch subsea flowlines and risers, and umbilicals.

“The associated structures will be fabricated in Saipem’s local yard in Ambriz,” said Milan-based Saipem.

Investment decision

Saipem’s statement followed meetings held on May 20 in Angola by Patrick Pouyanné, the Chairman and Chief Executive of TotalEnergies, to announce a final investment decision for the Kaminho project.

Pouyanné held talks with Jo?o Louren?o, the President of Angola, and Diamantino Azevedo, the Minister of Mineral Resources.

Pouyanné also held discussions with Angola’s leading state energy executives including Paulino Jerónimo, Chairman and CEO of the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) and Gaspar Martins, Chairman and CEO of national oil and gas company Sonangol.

TotalEnergies holds 40 percent of the Kaminho project and the other Block 20/11 partners are Malaysia’s Petronas with 40 percent and Sonangol with a 20 percent holding.

The Kaminho project’s Cameia and Golfinho fields are located in water depths of 1,700 metres and the venture is the first large deepwater development in Angola’s Kwanza Basin.

“The first development in the maritime zone of the Kwanza Basin is important to showcase the opening of new oil frontiers in Angola, and it’s part of our strategy to keep Angola on the top of African oil producers, bringing important income to our economy,” stated ANPG’s Jerónimo.

Sonangol’s CEO Martins said that the FID for the Kaminho project shows the commitment and efforts made by the Angolan government as well as the partners TotalEnergies, Sonangol and PETRONAS .

“The right conditions are now in place to contribute to increasing national production of oil and natural gas, and with that the revenues for the country,” Martins stated.