FPSO sails for Eni’s venture in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire

YAMOUSSOUKRO, April 12, 2023 – The FPSO Firenze has set sail from Dubai to Eni’s offshore Baleine field in Côte d’Ivoire to begin production, the Italian energy giant announced on Wednesday.

The vessel, which will be renamed Baleine upon arrival, has been upgraded by Emirati fabrication entity Drydocks World to have a capacity of 15,000 bopd and 708,000 cubic metres (25 mcf) per day of gas.

Construction of the associated subsea production system and well completion at the development are underway.

Gas production will be linked to onshore facilities via a newly built pipeline.

The Baleine field is the largest oil and gas find in the country with estimated resources of 2.5 billion barrels and 93.5 bmc (3.3 tcf) of associated gas.

The field extends over blocks CI-101 and CI-802, which Eni operates alongside its local partner Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire.

The fast-tracked development is set to begin production by June 2023, less than two years after the Baleine 1X discovery and one year and a half since making the FID.

The second phase of the project is already underway, with the FID taken in December 2022 and start up planned for December 2024.

The project is Africa’s first oil and gas project to have net zero scope 1 and scope 2 emissions.

In March 2023, Italian engineering and technology provider Saipem signed a USD 400-million drilling contract with the same consortium for work in Côte d’Ivoire.

Eni and its partner also own interest in blocks CI-205, CI-501, CI-401 and CI-801 in the country.