Saipem 12000 drillship begins Coral North campaign for Eni
Eni and its Area 4 partners started the drilling and completion campaign for the Coral North floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project offshore Mozambique, the operator announced 2 November 2026. The project, in the northern part of the Coral reservoir in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin, is targeting startup in 2028.
The campaign is expected to last about 10 months and will be carried out by ENH-Saipem Drilling Company SA using the Saipem 12000 drillship. Eni said it is the first time a company with Mozambican participation will take a direct operational role in offshore drilling.
Eni’s partners in Area 4 are China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS) and XRG. Coral North will bring Mozambique’s LNG output to 7 million metric tons per year, building on the Coral South FLNG project.
