/strong,%20has%20announced%20that%20a%20Saipem-owned%20drillship,%20Saipem%2012000,%20is%20resuming%20drilling%20operations%20at%20the%20Coral%20Sul%20(Coral%20South)%20project%20offshore%20strongMozambique/strong.The%20resumption%20comes%20eight%20months%20after%20work%20was%20suspended%20due%20to%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic.%20The%20drilling%20operations%20are%20to%20continue%20in%20January%202021.The%20regulator%20said%20that%20the%20Saipem%2012000%20drillship%20arrived%20in%20Pemba,%20Mozambique,%20on%20the%205supth/sup%20of%20January%202021.%20Commencement%20of%20its%20operations%20is%20only%20subject%20to%20customs,%20loading%20material%20and%20boarding%20the%20remaining%20crew.The%20Coral%20South%20FLNG%20project%20is%20to%20develop%20gas%20resources%20discovered%20by%20Eni%20in%20Area%204%20of%20the%20Rovuma%20Basin.%20Mozambique%20Rovuma%20Venture%20(MRV),%20formerly%20Eni%20East%20Africa,%20and%20operator%20of%20the%20Area%204%20Block%20Offshore%20Rovuma%20Basin%20since%202007,%20is%20an%20incorporated%20joint%20venture%20owned%20by%20Eni,%20ExxonMobil,%20and%20CNPC.The%20project%20is%20for%20the%20production%20and%20sale%20of%20gas%20from%20the%20southern%20part%20of%20the%20Coral%20field,%20using%20a%20floating%20plant%20for%20liquefying%20natural%20gas%20(LNG)%20with%20a%20capacity%20of%203.4%20million%20tonnes.%20The%20drilling%20operations%20began%20in%20September%202019.a%20href=https://ibekachikwu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/07ff5fde-6d93-4125-85a0-ce73109587aa.jpgimg%20class=size-medium%20wp-image-3503%20alignleft%20src=https://ibekachikwu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/07ff5fde-6d93-4125-85a0-ce73109587aa-300x225.jpg%20alt=%20width=300%20height=225%20//aIn%202017,%20strongSaipem/strong%20won%20a%2015-month%20contract%20from%20Eni%20for%20offshore%20drilling%20in%20Mozambique,%20utilising%20the%20Saipem%2012000.%20The%20contract%20includes%20extension%20options%20of%2045%20months%20maximum.The%20construction%20of%20the%20Coral%20South%20FLNG%20facility%20has%20begun%20in%20South%20Korea,%20with%20the%20start%20of%20the%20first%20production%20slated%20for%202022.%20South%20Korea’s%20shipbuilder,%20Samsung%20Heavy%20Industry,%20lifted%20the%20first%20topside%20module%20onboard%20the%20Coral%20Sul%20FLNG%20in%20May%202020.%20It%20marked%20the%20beginning%20of%20the%20integration%20between%20the%20hull%20and%20the%20topside,%20which%20is%20also%20being%20built%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20hull%20was%20launched%20in%20January%202020.a%20href=https://ibekachikwu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/22d2d2b6-27c6-4302-9fb9-4e459643847c.jpgimg%20class=size-medium%20wp-image-3504%20aligncenter%20src=https://ibekachikwu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/22d2d2b6-27c6-4302-9fb9-4e459643847c-300x277.jpg%20alt=%20width=300%20height=277%20//a){kind=link}
Mozambique’s regulator, Instituto Nacional de Petróleo (INP), has announced that a Saipem-owned drillship, Saipem 12000, is resuming drilling operations at the Coral Sul (Coral South) project offshore Mozambique.
The resumption comes eight months after work was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The drilling operations are to continue in January 2021.
The regulator said that the Saipem 12000 drillship arrived in Pemba, Mozambique, on the 5th of January 2021. Commencement of its operations is only subject to customs, loading material and boarding the remaining crew.
The Coral South FLNG project is to develop gas resources discovered by Eni in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin. Mozambique Rovuma Venture (MRV), formerly Eni East Africa, and operator of the Area 4 Block Offshore Rovuma Basin since 2007, is an incorporated joint venture owned by Eni, ExxonMobil, and CNPC.
The project is for the production and sale of gas from the southern part of the Coral field, using a floating plant for liquefying natural gas (LNG) with a capacity of 3.4 million tonnes. The drilling operations began in September 2019.
In 2017, Saipem won a 15-month contract from Eni for offshore drilling in Mozambique, utilising the Saipem 12000. The contract includes extension options of 45 months maximum.
The construction of the Coral South FLNG facility has begun in South Korea, with the start of the first production slated for 2022. South Korea’s shipbuilder, Samsung Heavy Industry, lifted the first topside module onboard the Coral Sul FLNG in May 2020. It marked the beginning of the integration between the hull and the topside, which is also being built in South Korea. The hull was launched in January 2020.
