Côte d’Ivoire: Eni Kicks Off Phase II Oil Production In Baleine Field

Italian oil and gas super major, Eni, has started the second phase of oil production from the Baleine field, marking a crucial step in the development of Côte d’Ivoire’s offshore.

With this development, Eni hopes its oil production will reach 60,000 barrels of oil per day and 70 million cubic feet of associated gas (equivalent to 2 million cubic metres).

A statement issued by Eni said the Phase II would see the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) Petrojarl Kong deployed alongside the Floating Storage and Offloading Unit (FSO).

Yamoussoukro is for the export of oil, while 100 per cent of the processed gas would supply the local energy demand through the connection with the pipeline built during the project’s Phase I.

This achievement further consolidates Côte d’Ivoire’s role as a producing country on the global energy scenario, strengthening access to energy on a national scale.

The statement said the rapid development of Baleine Phase II confirms Eni’s excellent time-to-market, enhanced also by the renovation and reuse of the two units.

Baleine is the first net zero emission Upstream project (Scope 1 and 2) in Africa, made possible through the adoption of advanced technologies, which minimise the operations’ carbon footprint, and innovative initiatives developed in close collaboration with the Ivorian ministries.

These include the improved cookstoves’ distribution program (eg. clean cooking programme), which leverages the local production and has already benefited over 575,000 people in vulnerable conditions, and the initiative to protect and restore 14 classified forests, both contributing to the project’s carbon neutrality.

In addition, a wide range of initiatives in the areas of vocational training, education, health and economic diversification enrich Eni’s collaboration with the country.

Eni has been present in Côte d’Ivoire since 2015 with a current equity production of around 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The company operates ten blocks in the Ivorian deepwaters (CI-101, CI-205, CI-401, CI-501, CI-801, CI-802, CI-504, CI-526, CI-706 and CI-708) in partnership with Petroci Holding.

With the start-up of Baleine’s Phase II and the development of Phase III, currently under study, total production is set to reach 150,000 barrels of oil per day and 200 million cubic feet of associated gas, further consolidating Côte d’Ivoire’s role as a regional energy hub and strengthening strategic collaboration with the local partner.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com