This article about ENI drilling in the Russian sector of the Black Sea in defiance of the US embargo appeared in Bloomberg yesterday:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-19/sanctions-proof-oil-rig-thwarts-u-s-policy-from-cuba-to-russia
It does contain some inaccurate statement however:
This is not true. There are lots rigs using technology “which is not American”. I fact nearly all new offshore rigs are not.
The Scarabeo 9 is of the Frigstad D90 type, designed by Frigstad Engineering in Singapore, originally ordered from CMIC Raffles by Frigstad Offshore, also in Singapore.
It is a development from the original Semi-submersible Tender concept T60, designed by a very small team of Engineers, Naval Architects and Mariners in the early 1990’s.
The drilling equipment is indeed a bit unconventional, equipped with a dual RamRig in place of the conventional derrick and drawworks, but it is not unique.
Here is detailed specs:
http://www.saipem.com/SAIPEM_en_IT/scheda/Vessels/Scarabeo+9.page
PS> I notice this article also appears in the gCaptain newsletter today.
http://gcaptain.com/sanction-proof-rig-beats-u-s-policy-from-cuba-to-russia/?goal=0_f50174ef03-9056a7d72a-169863069&mc_cid=9056a7d72a&mc_eid=4674ba0fbe