Saipem studies nuclear power offshore applications

Saipem has started studying offshore applications for sustainable nuclear technology to produce zero-emissions electricity from floating production systems.

The Italian offshore contractor and owner of drilling rigs, offshore construction vessels and oil production systems is considering deploying newcleo’s nuclear technology offshore.

Saipem will evaluate the potential application of the new generation of small modular reactors (SMR) for offshore plants, to generate power and heat with very low climate-changing emissions.

Specifically, this agreement includes studying the feasibility of using newcleo’s small, modular lead-cooled fast reactor (SM-LFR) nuclear fission technology to heat oil and gas production offshore installations and having floating nuclear power generation units connected to an electricity grid on land by offshore cables.
newcleo’s technology uses passive security systems, exploiting natural forces without requiring active mechanisms, which Saipem says enables much greater efficiency in the use of extracted uranium compared with other types of conventional fission reactors, due to reusing spent nuclear fuel in a circular process.

Saipem’s interest in nuclear energy is part of its technological development programme, supporting its net-zero objectives by 2050.