Wind

Saipem reveals latest on drilling challenges at delay-hit offshore wind farm

Saipem has overcome problems that delayed installation of the first monopile socket by months at EDF-led Calvados/Courseulles-sur-Mer

Fred Olsen Windcarrier's Bold Tern will take over.
Fred Olsen Windcarrier's Bold Tern will take over.Photo: Fred Olsen
Senior Correspondent

Italian oil services company Saipem says it has overcome problems it faced in the early stages of drilling foundations for the EDF-led Calvados/Courseulles-sur-Mer wind farm project, but the offshore development in northwestern France still faces delays.

Operational challenges on the 450MW wind farm development were highlighted during Saipem’s fourth quarter earnings call on Wednesday, ahead of the company’s recently-agreed merger with offshore services contractor Subsea 7.

After encountering technical difficulties that delayed completion of the first monopile socket by close to four months, Saipem concluded the first operation in December. The company has since drilled three more monopile sockets in much less time, CEO Alessandro Puliti told analysts.

He said Saipem drilled and completed a second socket in January and then two more in February.

“Our learning curve has significantly improved, reducing the number of days for each socket. With the fourth we have substantially reached our target of seven days per socket," Puliti said.

A first monopile was installed by the Saipem 7000 offshore construction vessel in January, and Saipem expects to conclude work on a second one before the end of February, Puliti added.
On the other hand, Saipem will this week start a major logistics operation with the withdrawal of the Vole au Vent jack-up vessel, which will be returned to the owner. The drilling package used on that vessel will now be transferred to Fred Olsen Windcarrier's Bold Tern jack-up vessel.

"The transfer of the drilling machine to the new vessel will take around five months, after which drilling activity will be resumed," Puliti stated. Saipem does not expect to complete the full scope of its 64-socket drilling project before the end of 2025.

Saipem’s stock price plunged nearly 5% on the Milan stock exchange in January, when reports of the drilling problems emerged.
The company won the installation contract in 2021 from a group led by EDF Renewables, partnered by Skyborn Renewables, Enbridge and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The development consortium is known as Eoliennes Offshore du Calvados (EODC).
(Copyright)

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Published 27 February 2025, 13:44Updated 28 February 2025, 08:44
SaipemEDFFred Olsen Windcarrier