Offshore oil and gas contractor Saipem has been awarded two contracts in the offshore wind energy sector, one in Scotland and one in Taiwan
The first contract, from EDF Renewables, is for constructing the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) windfarm offshore Scotland and is the first turnkey project awarded to Saipem in the offshore wind sector.
The scope of work under the contract consists of the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of 54 steel foundation jackets for an equivalent number of wind turbines with a capacity of around 8 MW each, two steel foundation jackets for the offshore substations and transporting and installing the topsides for the substations.
The jackets will be manufactured partly at a Saipem-owned yard and partly in fabrication facilities at BiFab in Scotland. The jackets will be placed on piles at depths ranging from 40 m to 60 m and offshore installation activity will be carried out by the crane vessel Saipem 7000.
Saipem has also been awarded a contract for the Formosa 2 offshore wind project in Taiwan. The scope of work here entails supplying the materials and fabricating 32 jacket foundations.
The windfarm is being developed by a partnership between Macquarie’s Green Investment Group and Swancor Renewable Energy, offshore Miaoli County on the west coast of Taiwan. Construction work for the project is scheduled to commence early in 2020.
Saipem is a relative newcomer to the offshore wind industry but was involved in lifting and mating operations for the Hywind Scotland floating offshore windfarm and secured more work in the sector with a contract to install the substations for the Hornsea Project One offshore windfarm. The company has been seeking greater exposure to markets not directly impacted by the oil price, in which it can leverage its assets and know-how.
The overall value of the new contracts is €750M (US$826M) and corresponds to approximately 15% of order intake to-date this year of Saipem’s E&C offshore division.
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