Fields of Activity

Upstream – Gas and Oil Production and Processing

Saipem offers complex integrated solutions for large upstream facilities including oil & gas production, treatment and processing plants, pipeline systems, pumping and compressor stations, as well as marine terminals.

In recent years, Saipem was awarded several multibillion dollar projects on a fast track basis in diverse markets such as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and Algeria. Some of these projects have been executed on the basis of new “convertible” contracts, a hybrid between traditional reimbursable and LSTK contractual forms, particularly suitable for fast track execution of large and otherwise risky projects. Other projects were executed on a more traditional EPC/LSTK basis, with full total price and completion guarantees.

Natural Gas Liquefaction and Regasification

Saipem has gained a strong presence in the natural gas liquefaction market, with a remarkable track record of 9 base-load trains built over the last decade in Nigeria and in Qatar, for a total production capacity of over 35 million t per annum.

Currently, Saipem is executing its first EPC contract as main contractor for Sonatrach’s Arzew LNG Project in Algeria. This 4.7 MTA project will be the largest LNG production facility in Algeria and one of the largest ones in the world. Recently, Saipem has also performed front end designs for new large LNG projects in Nigeria and in Egypt.
S.N. Technigaz, another Saipem’s unit, is a front-ranking player in designing and executing liquefied gas storage and regasification solutions, leveraging on its cryogenic storage membrane technology, with a track record of 12 completed terminals and 45 LNG tanks.

Onshore Transportation Systems

In the design and construction of land pipeline systems and associated field upstream facilities, Saipem ranks amongst the largest contractors in the world, having designed and laid almost 100,000 km of land pipelines on five continents, including whole systems in several continents.

In particular, over more than 60 years, the entire gas supply system for Snam Rete Gas S.p.A., to bring gas to Italy from Russia, the North Sea, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, as well as the internal Italian gas distribution network – for a total of over 40,000 km .

As an example of an achievement in a difficult environment, in the far eastern Russian island of Sakhalin, Saipem has recently completed among others the onshore pipelines for the Sakhalin II project, entailing engineering, procurement and construction of an 800 km 24” and 48” twin oil and gas pipeline system, from the landing terminal in the north of the offshore pipeline, which brings in gas and oil from the offshore field, to the processing and port facilities in the south. The remote location, very complex and seismic terrain and harsh climates made this a most challenging project.

Oil Refining

Saipem has designed and built 37 grass-roots refineries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as more than 500 individual process units in almost every corner of the world.

In response to the market shift during the last years, Saipem onshore has more recently focused on designing and building “bottoms-of-the-barrel” and heavy oil upgrading complexes added to traditional or new oil refineries, by implementing large investments based on hydrocracking, hydroconversion, solvent deasphalting and residue gasification process technologies, in Italy, for Eni, ERG and others; in Canada, to process oil sands for Canadian National Resources Ltd.; significant refinery expansions in Morocco, for SAMIR, and earlier in Poland and Mexico. A recent Frond End Design was executed for a new project in the Russian republic of Tatarstan.

Petrochemicals and Gas Monetization

Employing a combination of proprietary and top-of-the-line third party technologies, Saipem has designed and built more than 400 plants worldwide to produce chemicals, mostly from natural gas.
These include integrated complexes to produce Urea, a leading fertilizer, based on Snamprogetti™ proprietary technology, licensed to date to 115 units. In particular, the world’s largest single train urea complex at Profertil in Argentina, and the world’s largest urea single project, for Omifco in Oman.

Saipem is currently building what will be the largest single train complexes in the world, for Engro, Pakistan and two for Qafco, Qatar.

This in addition to numerous other petrochemical projects based on technologies from traditional partners, such as Dow, Univation, Polimeri Europa and other reputable licensors, in diverse markets ranging from China and Qatar  to Italy, Brazil.

Saipem is currently executing the Gas-to-Liquids complex for Chevron Nigeria Ltd., together with a partner. Utilising breakthrough technologies from Sasol, Chevron and Haldor Topsøe, this plant will produce premium diesel and gasoline from natural gas. To minimize construction at a remote and swampy site in Nigeria, where there is lack of space and a shortage of skilled construction resources, large modules have been fabricated in a specialized yard, in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., under Saipem’s onshore design, supervision and overall contractual responsibility, then shipped to the site at Escravos, Nigeria.

Power

Over the years, Saipem units have designed and built over 40 single– and combined–cycle power plants with a total capacity exceeding 10,000 MW. This includes four Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plants, 2 of which, for ISAB Energy and Sarlux, both in Italy, are still the world’s largest, with a power output of about 550 MW each.

Marine Works

Saipem has a solid track record in performing extensive marine works, including the design and construction of harbours and jetties. This work is typically led  from our specialised engineering office in Paris, France, which offers a wealth of expertise and project references in both traditional and new markets.
Infrastructure

Our engineering office in Milan, Italy has developed a substantial expertise in designing and building large infrastructural undertakings, primarily trains, highways, bridges and specialised buildings, such as airport terminals. The most prominent project is the recent completion of the railway track between Milan and Bologna, part of the Italian High Speed Train system, one of the largest public works ever undertaken in Italy. This multibillion Euro project, executed under a single contract by a JV led by Snamprogetti, now Saipem, together with three Italian Civil Contractors, allows top train speeds in excess of 300 km/hr.

Renewables and Environment

Saipem also offers integrated environmental and remediation technologies and services, for example to decontaminate old industrial sites, abate noxious emissions, purify water, etc. This activity is often connected with infrastructural undertakings as well as with new investments in power production from renewable sources (solar, wind and biomass) or from municipal or other waste.