The SAIPEM 12000 drillship has started a development drilling and well completion campaign for Eni‘s Coral North floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project offshore Mozambique, marking a new stage in the development ahead of its planned start-up in 2028.
The campaign began on 1 November 2026 and is expected to last approximately 10 months. Mozambique’s National Petroleum Institute (INP) said the programme covers up to six development wells, with four planned in the first phase and two in the second.
Operations are being undertaken by ENH–Saipem Drilling Company SA, a joint venture involving Mozambique’s national oil company ENH and Saipem. According to Eni, this is the first time a company with Mozambican participation has taken a direct operational role in offshore drilling.
The SAIPEM 12000 arrived in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province on 25 October. Ahead of the campaign, INP scheduled an inspection beginning on 27 October to assess the drillship’s technical readiness, operational safety and environmental compliance as part of the operating licence process.
Meanwhile, construction of the Coral North FLNG facility is progressing in South Korea. INP reported an overall completion rate of 72% in late October, as offshore drilling preparations advanced in Mozambique.
Coral North will produce gas from the northern section of the Coral reservoir in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin. Eni is developing the project alongside China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), ENH, KOGAS and XRG.
The development follows Coral South FLNG, which began production in 2022 and has delivered more than 175 LNG cargoes. Eni expects Mozambique’s annual LNG output to reach approximately 7 million tonnes following Coral North’s planned start-up in 2028.
The drilling campaign follows earlier project approvals and subsea EPCI contract awards, including a contract awarded to TechnipFMC for flexible flowlines, risers and associated subsea installation work.
