Italian energy services contractor Saipem has announced the restart of operations for the jackup rig Perro Negro 7 in Saudi Arabia, scheduled to begin in January 2026. The contract for the 2008-built jackup was awarded to Saipem in 2011 by Saudi Aramco and was extended in June 2023 for a further 10 years. The contract was temporarily suspended for a period of 12 months in 2024. The suspension period will be recovered at the end of the contract, extending its duration until 2034. The rig is designed to operate in waters up to 115 m and drill wells up to 9,100 m. It is also equipped with advanced systems to ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance with more demanding environmental standards. Saipem believes that the restart of work for the Perro Negro 7 is a tangible sign of the recovery of drilling activities in the Middle East, which it treats as a key market. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsItaly Saudi Arabia