Saipem makes inroads at African offshore gas project with ‘major milestone’ (Gallery)

June 3, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Italy’s engineering, drilling, and construction services giant Saipem has reported a new achievement in the execution phase of a gas project off the coast of Libya, which is operated by Mellitah Oil & Gas Libyan Branch, a consortium formed by National Oil Corporation of Libya and Eni North Africa.

Saipem has completed the lifting operations of the gas recovery module for the Bouri Gas Utilization Project (BGUP) offshore Libya, using its flagship Saipem 7000, said to be one of the world’s largest crane vessels. The firm secured a $1 billion engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) contract in August 2023 for the refurbishment of platforms and facilities at the Bouri gas field.

The gas recovery module, fabricated by Rosetti Marino at its Marina di Ravenna yard on behalf of Saipem, is perceived to represent a key component of the plant. Weighing more than 5,200 tonnes and measuring approximately 45 meters by 31 meters, with a height of around 45 meters, the module left the yard in early May 2026 to be transported to the Bouri field, located approximately 170 kilometers off the Libyan coast.

This module, which was built in about two years, integrates advanced gas treatment systems and has been installed on the existing offshore platform at the field, contributing to the development of the new infrastructures foreseen by the project. Following completion of the lifting operations, offshore activities covered by the company’s scope of work will continue, with execution entrusted to Rosetti Marino.

These activities include the integration of the module on the existing DP4 platform, as well as hook-up and commissioning of the plant and its related communication, safety and control systems. The pre-commissioning activities are also planned for approximately 28 kilometers of already laid subsea pipelines, which connect the DP3, DP4, and Sabratha platforms to enable the transportation of the recovered gas to the Mellitah treatment complex.

Saipem 7000 vessel at Bouri gas project offshore Libya; Courtesy of Saipem

The Italian giant emphasized: “The lifting of the module marks a major milestone in the execution phase of the project, confirming Saipem’s ability to manage complex operations through advanced engineering planning and the use of heavy-lifting solutions, in full compliance with the highest standards of safety and reliability.”

The Bouri project aims to recover associated gas currently subject to flaring, the controlled combustion of excess gas that produces the typical flame visible in refineries or wells, and transport it to the Mellitah complex for use or export.

Reducing flaring is anticipated to avoid the combustion of gas into the atmosphere, significantly contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and supporting an increase in production up to approximately 2 million cubic meters per day, which serves to improve the efficiency of existing infrastructure.

Saipem is busy with many projects across the globe, as illustrated by its recent partnership with Petrobras to explore ways to advance solutions for decommissioning activities across Brazil’s oil and gas fields, subsea systems, and associated infrastructure.