Our history is more than just a date
It is proof of an approach that has always encouraged us to seek innovative solutions, create surprising alliances and overcome ambitious challenges.
This is why we are not merely a company, we are Engineering for the future.
Where it all began
A great merger, a great project
Saipem was created by two things: a merger and an idea.
The merger was between the drilling enterprise SAIP and the construction company Snam Montaggi.
The idea was to create a globally competitive, industrial business. Mattei took over the key position at SAIPEM as service supplier for Eni.
A historic turning point
It was in 1957, when SAIPEM became an independent company and constructed a true wonder of engineering skills: Scarabeo, its first offshore platform.
From then on, the company's international reputation continued to grow until in 1969, SAIPEM completed some remarkable works, including 600 wells in Mesota Espinosa, various gas and oil pipelines in Argentina, India and Italy and four drilling platforms in the Adriatic Sea.
A spirit of innovators
Saipem's innovative spirit was already emerging early on.
It not only developed effective solutions for the global rise in energy needs, in 1962 SAIPEM also devoted itself to producing avant-garde fertilisers and in four years, it had constructed production plants in Italy and Spain to become the key player in the sector.
The need to create integrated industrial groups had become increasingly obvious with the rise of the oil industry... [This] could not escape the notice of our country, which was not isolated and played its part in a world in which industry was reaching its peak of integration and complexity.
Challenges and frontiers
The world is changing
The 70s marked a period of great uncertainty, culminating in the Arab crisis, which impacted the Italian and world energy market.
This forced SAIPEM to tackle the challenge and follow its own flair for pioneering research and innovation in order to launch into almost unexplored territory.
Saipem, from north to south
In response to the energy crisis, in 1971, SAIPEM went beyond every frontier until it discovered new fields in the North Sea.
It was an ambitious challenge: sea currents, temperatura and pressure put the structures and available technical skills to the test.
To tackle all this, SAIPEM developed its research into specific solutions and innovatively redesigned its vessels and equipment.
A tremendous innovation in the strait
The period from 1972-1974 was marked by geopolitical disorders, which SAIPEM transformed into an opportunity to show its ability to visualise innovative solutions.
For example, it developed advanced structures to replace sea transport, e.g. a semi-subsea vessel for great depths.
This enabled SAIPEM to achieve some considerable enterprises, including the offshore, 130-metre deep pipelines in Gaeta and the gas pipeline in the Strait of Messina.
Global expansion
Saipem is listed on the stock market
In the 80s, SAIPEM took another big step forward to consolidate its major role as a leading company in the energy and infrastructure sector.
In fact, in 1984, the company was listed on the stock market (in Milan and Paris) that prompted the interest of international investors.
You can't do everything by yourself
At this point, SAIPEM had become global in size and importance.
In order to continue this ambitious development, the company began to build essential, strategic liaisons by implementing joint ventures with the competition (e.g. Clough, Parker Drilling, and Brown & Roo) that would strengthen its business in the North Sea, a key area for extraction and new technologies.
Bigger and bigger
In order to grow, you have to identify your margins for improvement and turn them into your strong points.
This spirit led SAIPEM to acquire the Micoperi fleet to consolidate its position in heavy transport, which was followed in 1992 by Sonsub, to develop its knowledge of subsea operations.
As a result, it laid the foundations to become one of the principal contractors in the Oil & Gas service sector.
Taking centre stage
Our vision was expanding
Saipem's position had become solid, but in the late 90s, the company understood it had to open up a new phase: it needed to work at greater depths and develop state-of-the-art technologies.
Thus, it developed the more efficient, J-lay tower system and studied innovative solutions, such as a way to produce high-octane hydrocarbons, a new process of urea synthesis and one of on-board liquid natural gas reliquefaction.
10 out of 10 for good behaviour
Thanks to its numerous recent innovations, such as the J-lay tower on the Saipem 7000, one of the major extraction structures in the world, SAIPEM has managed to successfully conclude projects that would previously have been unthinkable, such as the 380 km Blue Stream from Russia to Turkey, considered one of the most ambitious gas pipelines ever built.
The group continues to grow
Our recent, extraordinary innovations have been accompanied by other acquisitions to expand our competencies and open up new development prospects.
One of these is the Bouygues Offshore in 2011, which strengthened Saipem's knowledge of EPCI, and the other was the incorporation of Snamprogetti in 2006, which opened up interesting market prospects (e.g. gas liquefaction).
Saipem to the future
It's time to change
Since 2006, there have been years of enormous economic, political and environmental challenges.
New fields have been discovered.
However, international crises have arisen that have complicated extraction and energy production even further.
Once again, SAIPEM has had the courage to change: it has decommissioned some of its platforms and speeded up its research into unconventional energy sources, such as solar and wind.
A new identity
Major changes always result in major changes.
In 2015, Eni reduced its holding in SAIPEM: this was the company's opportunity to design a new visual identity and logo.
And that wasn’t all. A renewed, international context facilitated a radical, corporate change: it speeded up our research into new, technologically advanced solutions to encourage production and reduce our environmental footprint.
Saipem laid the foundations for true Sustainable Engineering.
Sustainable commitment
Climate change is the major recent challenge and SAIPEM is committed to playing its part by adopting more sustainable gas extraction and transport systems and producing fertilisers with a low environmental impact.
All this, by necessarily collaborating with local stakeholders to gather precious skills and points of view for more mindful research.
Discover how Saipem has always been engineering for a sustainable future.
Through history to today. And beyond.
