Saipem awarded drilling contracts worth US$200 million

In offshore drilling, Saipem has been awarded by the National Drilling Company (NDC) a contract for the charter of Perro Negro 3 for drilling activities offshore Abu Dhabi, for a period of 36 months starting from 2013. Perro Negro 3 jack-up rig is capable of operating in water depths of up to 91 metres.

Saipem also signed a contract with GDF SUEZ for the charter of Scarabeo 4 to be engaged in drilling activities offshore Egypt, for a period of three months during Q3 and Q4 of 2012. Scarabeo 4, which is currently under contract with IEOC, will be chartered by GDF SUEZ under a contract assignment.

Scarabeo 4 is a second generation semi-submersible drilling rig capable of operating in water depths of up to 457 metres.

Outside of the region, Saipem has been awarded an offshore drilling contract in Ecuador, with EP Petroecuador awarding the company a contract for the charter of the jack-up Ocean Spur, as well as onshore contracts for six rigs in South America and Italy. The contracts range in length from five to nine months, starting in different periods of the second half of 2012.