MDL Assists Saipem to Deliver Offshore Campaigns in West Africa
June 23, 2025
Maritime Developments (MDL) has supported Saipem’s work in West Africa by providing specialist equipment and operational support for two recent flex-lay campaigns offshore Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritania.
The two scopes awarded to MDL entailed provision of bespoke packages of equipment to enable Saipem’s own vessels.
On the first project in the Baleine field – Ivory Coast’s largest discovery to date – a complete MDL spread consisting of a Generation 2 Reel Dive System and a Horizontal Lay System enabled with a 60-tonne 4-track tensioner, was deployed to lay 16 flexible jumpers in 1400 m water depth.
The gas production from Baleine is expected to increase domestic and regional supply, while oil production will be instrumental in boosting exports.
The second project – the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project offshore Mauritania and Senegal – saw MDL Generation 1 RDS integrated with a set of linear cable engines to install a 33mm OD fibre optic cable.
The GTA project is an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal, with wells located in water depths of up to 2,850m - making it one of the deepest subsea developments in Africa.
“Delivering safe and efficient solutions is always our top priority at MDL. Supporting Saipem on these diverse projects in West Africa has been a testament to our team’s ability to integrate with our client’s operations – providing tailored equipment packages that ensure reliable performance, including in deep waters,” said Euan Crichton, Senior Project Manager at MDL.
