Italian energy services contractor Saipem has teamed up with compatriot energy firm and shareholder Eni with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of its fleet.
Under a memorandum of understanding with Eni Sustainable Mobility, Saipem will look to employ biofuels on its drilling and construction vessels, with particular attention to operations in the Mediterranean Sea.
Eni has been producing biofuels since 2014, thanks to the conversion of the Venice and Gela refineries into biorefineries, which have been palm oil free since the end of 2022. Through the proprietary Ecofining technology, vegetable raw materials or animal waste and HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) biofuel products are processed.
The agreement forms part of the execution of Saipem’s strategy for the reduction of GHG emissions, together with the other initiatives and investments envisaged in the Group’s strategic plan, which encompasses the reduction of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035 and the achievement of net zero emissions by 2050, the company said.
Saipem, which has a global fleet of 45 vessels for construction and drilling, noted that by using biofuel, it could potentially be able to reduce emissions by around 550,000 tonnes of CO2e per year, which is equal to 60% of its total annual Scope 1 emissions.
