Saipem secures variation orders for massive Zohr field development contract

Saipem and Petrobel have finalised contract variations worth US$900M for engineering, procurement, construction and installation activity related to the ‘optimised ramp up’ phase of the Zohr field development project.

Petrobel is a joint venture between IEOC (an Eni subsidiary in Egypt) and Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and is responsible for the development of Zohr on behalf of PetroShorouk, a joint venture between Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company and IEOC.

The variations to the scope of work include installing a 30in diameter gas export pipeline and an 8in diameter service pipeline, engineering, procurement, construction and installation work for the field development in deep water (of up to 1,700m) of four wells and installing the umbilicals.

Work will commence in July 2017 and is due to be completed by the end of 2018.

Saipem will deploy several vessels including Castorone, an ultra-deep water pipelayer; the subsea field development vessel Saipem FDS2; Saipem 3000, a subsea construction vessel; Castoro 6, a semi-submersible pipelay unit; and the trenching barge Castoro 10.