ITALIAN energy giant Eni has officially commenced oil and gas production at the massive Baleine field situated in the deep waters off the coast of Cote d’Ivoire. The announcement, made on Monday, confirms an earlier statement released by the Ivorian energy ministry.
Having initially discovered the field in September 2021, Eni’s history in the African nation dates back to the 1960s through its subsidiary Agip Côte d’Ivoire.
‘The first oil from Baleine is a milestone in Eni’s operations. Stemming from an extraordinary exploration success, we have achieved an industry-leading time-to-market of under two years from the declaration of commercial discovery,’ stated Eni’s CEO Claudio Descalzi.
In its initial phase, production at the Baleine field will be facilitated by a production storage and offloading vessel designed to handle a capacity of up to 15,000 barrels of oil per day (bbl/d) alongside approximately 25 million standard cubic feet of associated gas per day (Mscf/d).
Looking ahead, the second phase of production is projected to commence by the conclusion of 2024. This phase aims to elevate field production to 50,000 bbl/d of oil and around 70 Mscf/d of associated gas. Subsequently, the third development phase aspires to further boost field production to an impressive 150,000 bbl/d of oil and approximately 200 Mscf/d of gas, according to Eni’s statement.
Eni’s presence in Cote d’Ivoire extends to the CI-101 and CI-802 blocks, which encompass the Baleine field. Additionally, the company holds interests in four other deep-water Ivorian blocks, all of which feature Petroci Holding as a partner.
The successful launch of oil and gas production at the Baleine field highlights Eni’s commitment to advancing energy resources and contributing to the energy landscape of the region.