Saipem’s Santorini heads back to Côte d’Ivoire for Eni

Saipem secured a new offshore drilling contract from Eni Côte d’Ivoire Limited. The drillship Santorini will carry out a long-term development drilling campaign for the operator, with operations set to begin in early 2027.

The award includes a firm commitment for an extended drilling program, along with optional periods and the potential deployment of the rig in neighboring countries. Saipem said the contract extends the long-term visibility of the Santorini’s future utilization.

The Santorini previously drilled the Murene South-1X exploration well for Eni in Block CI-501 offshore Côte d’Ivoire, which confirmed the Calao South gas and condensate discovery earlier this year.