Saipem loads out first three topsides for QatarEnergy project

Italian upstream services company Saipem on March 13 announced the successful loading out of the first three topsides from its Karimun fabrication yard in Indonesia, destined for Qatar.

The topsides, consisting of one wellhead production platform and two riser platforms, are en route to Qatar's northeast coast for installation as part of QatarEnergy LNG's North Field project. This initiative is aimed at sustaining the production plateau of the world's largest non-associated natural gas field.

QatarEnergy LNG, formerly known as Qatargas, awarded the contract to Saipem in 2021. In 2022, Saipem secured a $4.5bn contract from QatarEnergy LNG for the North Field Production Sustainability Offshore Compression Complexes Project – EPC 2.

Last month, Qatar unveiled the North Field West LNG Expansion project, with the goal of increasing Qatar's LNG production capacity to 142mn tonnes/year by the end of the decade, representing an 85% increase from current levels.

Qatar's active expansion of LNG production capacity includes ongoing projects such as the North Field Expansion, encompassing North Field South and North Field East expansion projects, scheduled to commence production in 2026. This project alone is expected to contribute over 48mn tonnes/year to global LNG supplies, boosting Qatar's overall LNG production capacity to 126mn tonnes/year.