Saipem, an engineering, drilling, and construction services provider, has unveiled a new subsea pipeline technology that could significantly reduce costs.

The Italian company achieved a major industrial milestone with an upgrade that would enable subsea and offshore use of the technology initially developed by United Pipeline Systems for the internal lining of onshore pipelines. 

According to Saipem, the innovative technology would enable onshore pipelines to withstand the rigors of offshore and subsea environments. The innovation earned a qualified technology statement from DNV, enabling its use in ultra-deepwater, high-pressure pipelines of up to 1,000 bar.

By replacing corrosion-resistant alloys with plastics in the pipeline’s inner coating, Saipem expects to reduce total system costs by as much as 40%. 

The company plans to initially market the technology for water injection pipelines and later expand its use to risers in offshore markets such as the Middle East, the Gulf of Mexico, and Brazil.

Saipem’s new pipeline technology is the latest in a series of subsea advancements. Last week, the company partnered with Curtiss-Wright Corporation to develop an all-electric seabed barrier fluid-less pump.

Saipem has also secured several new contracts, including the supervision and provision of subsea intervention services for a natural gas pipeline connecting Libya and Italy. 

The company is also working on a $3.7 billion deepwater project in Angola with TotalEnergies and two multimillion-dollar projects off the coast of Saudi Arabia for Saudi Aramco.