Azule Energy, a joint venture between Italy’s Eni and the UK’s BP, has awarded Saipem and TechnipFMC contracts for an ultra-deepwater development in Angola, following the announcement of the final investment decision (FID).
On June 22, Eni announced that the FID had been reached for the Greater PAJ offshore oil development, situated in Blocks 31 and 31/21 off the coast of Angola. This project is operated by Azule Energy, which is equally owned by Eni and BP, along with participation from Sonangol E&P and Equinor.
The Greater PAJ project is a groundbreaking venture, touted as Angola’s first integrated cross-block development. It encompasses five offshore fields: Palas, Astraea, and Juno in Block 31 and Urano and Dione in Block 31/21. With first oil anticipated in the first half of 2029, this project is set to bolster Angola’s oil production capabilities.
The innovative concept for this development involves connecting 17 wells to a new floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. This FPSO is designed to handle a remarkable 95,000 barrels of oil per day and export up to 70 million standard cubic feet of gas daily. The gas will be transported to the Angola LNG (ALNG) plant via a newly established gas export line, which will integrate with the existing Block 31 export network.
Saipem has been awarded a substantial $1 billion contract for the Greater PAJ project. This contract encompasses a range of critical tasks, including the engineering, fabrication, transportation, and installation of approximately 180 kilometers of rigid pipelines and subsea facilities, reaching depths of up to 2,000 meters. Additionally, the contract covers the installation of 38 kilometers of flexible flowlines and jumpers, along with 54 kilometers of umbilicals.
Over the course of approximately 40 months, Saipem will fabricate these components at its Ambriz yard in Angola. The deployment of advanced construction vessels—FDS and Castorone—will further facilitate the project’s ambitious timeline.
In a parallel announcement, TechnipFMC revealed that it had secured a contract for the Greater PAJ project as well. This contract entails designing and manufacturing flexible flowlines and risers needed to connect wells located at nearly 2,000 meters deep to a new floating production unit (FPU).
TechnipFMC categorized this contract as significant, with an estimated worth between $75 million and $250 million. Jonathan Landes, President of Subsea at TechnipFMC, expressed pride in the award, highlighting the company’s expertise in handling large, deepwater projects in the region. He noted, “This award builds on expertise we have developed on large, deepwater projects in the region, including our proven flexible pipe technology. We are proud to be chosen to deliver a technically robust solution on an accelerated timeframe that creates value for our client.”
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