In the first nine months 2004, Saipem was awarded new contracts totalling 3,140 million euros (3,409 million euros in the same period 2003), of which 1,959 million euros were in the Offshore sectors (Construction and Drilling).



The most significant orders awarded in the third quarter 2004 include:



Offshore Construction:

- On behalf of Total Exploration & Production Angola, the EPIC-type contract Rosa in Angola, comprising engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning of subsea pipelines, umbilicals and risers at water depths of approximately 1,400 metres;

- On behalf of AIOC (Azerbaijan International Operating Company), two contracts as part of the Phase 3 development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field in Azerbaijan, comprising construction of a template, two jackets and associated piles in addition to transport and installation of two platforms comprising two jackets, two topsides and one template;

- On behalf of BBL Company (a partnership comprising Gasunie, E.ON Ruhrgas and Fluxys) the EPIC-type contract BBL in the North Sea, for the laying of a subsea pipeline from Balgzand in Holland to Bacton in Great Britain;

- On behalf of InAgip D.o.o., the IKA, IDA and IVANA Gas Fields Platforms and Pipelines project off the Croatian coast, comprising installation of six jackets and seven decks in addition to transport and installation of various interconnecting pipelines and spools;

Onshore Construction:
- On behalf of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, the EPC-type contract Soku in Nigeria, comprising engineering, procurement and construction of facilities to increase the capacity of an existing gas treatment plant;

L.N.G.:
- On behalf of Fluxys, the EPC-type project Zeebrugge LNG Terminal in Belgium, comprising engineering, procurement and construction of facilities for the extension of a regasification terminal, including the storage tank and regasification structures. The contract was awarded in consortium with the Belgian construction companies CFE and Fontec;

Maintenance Modification and Operation (M.M.O.):
- On behalf of TotalFinaElf, the extension of contracts for activities in France;

Offshore Drilling:
- On behalf of Aramco, the three-year lease of the jack-up Perro Negro 5 in Saudi Arabia;

- On behalf of Eni Congo, the one-year contract for the provision of maintenance and workover services in Congo;

Onshore Drilling:
- On behalf of Eni Dacion B.V., the lease of four rigs in Venezuela, one rig for a period of twenty eight months and three rigs for one year;

- On behalf of Petrobras, the three-year lease of various installations in Peru;

- On behalf of Pluspetrol, the one-year lease of various installations in Peru;

- On behalf of Repsol YPF, the ten-month lease of a rig in Algeria.



At end of September 2004, the backlog stood at 5,296 million euros (5,225 million euros at 31st December 2003).