Italian energy company Eni has contracted Altera Infrastructure to redeploy the FPSO Voyageur Spirit and the shuttle tanker Nordic Brasilia on the Baleine Phase 2 project, located offshore Côte d’Ivoire.
Under the contract, the FPSO and the shuttle tanker will be deployed on the Baleine field for a period of 15 years.
The infrastructure services company aims to develop the project on a fast-track schedule, with the start-up of Phase 2 expected in Q4 2024.
Voyageur Spirit is a cylindrical-shaped FPSO that previously operated on the Huntington field in the UK North Sea until 2020.
The shuttle tanker Nordic Brasilia is planned to be converted into an FSO to enhance the storage capacity of the Voyageur FPSO.
Voyageur Spirit and Nordic Brasilia vessels, owned and operated by Altera, are currently under life extension work and field-specific modifications at Drydocks World in Dubai.
Altera infrastructure production president Chris Brett said: “Securing contracts in a promising region like Côte d’Ivoire is a significant acknowledgement of Altera’s capability in delivering complex projects on a fast-track timeline.
“This is now our second contract award in short succession based on the redeployment of an existing FPSO and demonstrates that redeployments are some of the fastest, most cost-effective and emissions-friendly ways for our customers to develop their projects in the current market.
“With this award, we continue to build our project presence in Dubai and already have a presence in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire where we intend to be committed and engaged contributors to the development of a growing industry for many years to come.”
The Baleine oil and gas project is the largest hydrocarbon discovery in Côte d’Ivoire and the country’s first commercial discovery in the last two decades.
In December year, Eni and its partner Petroc-i made have final investment decision (FID) for the Baleine project, which is planned to be developed in three phases.
The Baleine field development is the first net zero emissions project in Africa, said Altera.
Earlier this year, Eni and Petroc-i awarded a subsea contract to Baker Hughes to deliver eight deep water trees and three Aptara manifolds for the Baleine phase 2 project.
The contract also included the supply of a subsea production control system, along with flexible risers and jumpers.
