Russian embargo not working

[ombugge]

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:

“The Scarabeo 9 is one of the very few units in the industry which is using a technology which is not an American one,” Saipem’s then CEO Pietro Franco Tali told investors before its maiden voyage to Cuba.

Second, the Scarabeo 9, which is owned by Saipem SpA, is no ordinary deepwater rig. It was built mostly in China, to a Norwegian design. That means it sidesteps U.S. trade sanctions that restrict the use of U.S.-made or -designed equipment, even by non-U.S. companies.

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

[catherder]

My understanding is that Trump signed off on new sanctions, but did not implement same.

[ombugge]

I hope this US Marine General is wrong in his assumptions:

Marine Leaders Highlight Norway Unit's Role as Deterrent to Russia

The Norwegian reaction to his speech:

Hevder amerikanske styrker på norsk jord fikk følgende beskjed: – Det er en krig...

There is also a video of US Marines training in Northern Norway in the winter exercise Cold Response this year

[Drill_Bill]

well, that didn’t take long

http://www.kitco.com/news/2018-01-24/UPDATE-1-Eni-halts-drilling-in-Rosneft-led-offshore-project-over-U-S-sanctions.html