A recently signed agreement will see Saipem lead the industrialization and commercialization of SPRINGS®, an innovative subsea water treatment technology designed for deep water application, developed in collaboration with major oil & gas company Total and water treatment specialist company Veolia.
SPRINGS® (Subsea PRocess and INjection Gear for Seawater) is a nanofiltration-based sulphate removal unit designed for subsea use in deep water environments. Saipem has entered into an agreement with partners Total and Veolia for the co- ownership and exclusive commercialization of the technology. A deepsea test was successfully completed last year to prove the validity of the process in a relevant environment offshore West Africa.
A cost effective alternative to conventional topsides water treatment and injection units, SPRINGS® moves the sulphate removal process subsea, thus enhancing the economics of oil recovery by:
• eliminating water injection sealines
• producing savings in terms of topsides weight and deck space, freeing up vital topside space for production equipment
• easing brownfield retrofits, especially on FPSOs
• making distant, deep injection wells economical.
Saipem’s Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Cao, commented: “The signing of the agreement is in line with Saipem’s commitment to develop innovative technologies and deploy its capabilities in the subsea environment with a view to reducing Clients’ overall costs and enabling new business opportunities.”
