Italian EPC giant Saipem will continue to bid for engineering and construction projects while also diversifying operations in the renewables sector, the company’s recently-appointed CEO Alessandro Puliti told Oil & Gas Middle East, speaking on the sidelines of ADIPEC in Abu Dhabhi.
He noted that as a result of growing oil and gas investments triggered by the current geopolitical situation, the company is participating in many tenders and bids for both offshore and onshore engineering and construction activities, especially onshore fertiliser plants and LNG operations.
However, despite increasing EPC activity, Puliti said addressing climate issues remains a key concern for Saipem, which was ranked as one of the top EPC contractors on our Top 25 EPC list.
“Sustainability has been always a concern for Saipem even when this word was not so common… one of the pillars of sustainability for Saipem is the transfer of technology in the countries where we operate,” Puliti noted.
He added, “Clearly, we are working also to ensure that all ESG goals are reached in our project. And especially we are very much also involved in whatever is possible to decarbonise our business.”
Renewables push
Although OPEC’s latest report finds that oil will continue to retain its top spot in the global energy mix, global leaders are pushing for renewable energy sources to be a much bigger part of the energy mix if governments are to meet their net-zero commitments.
Saipem is “eager to play an important and growing role in that growth trend,” according to the company.
Puliti says Saipem began diversification toward renewable energy several years ago and is actively working on various projects in the offshore wind sector, specifically in the North Sea.
“[Renewable energy] is a very important pillar of our energy transition proposition together with the carbon capture, utilisation and storage,” Puliti noted.
“We believe we have a very peculiar positioning as a partner because we are present in the entire chain of the CCUS starting from the capturing at the chimneys of our clients to transport of CO2 and also drilling the wells to reach the depleted reservoir in which CO2 can be stored,” he added.