Italian energy company Eni has acquired four new offshore exploration blocks in Côte d’Ivoire through agreements signed with the country’s Ministry of Mines, Oil and Energy.
The signing took place during the inaugural International Exhibition of Extractive and Energy Resources (SIREXE) in Abidjan.
The acquired blocks, CI-504, CI-526, CI-706, and CI-708, cover a combined area of approximately 5,720km.
The blocks are located at depths ranging from 1,000 to 3,500m and are situated near Block CI-205, which contains the Calao discovery. According to Eni, their location presents opportunities to optimise operations through potential synergies in exploration and development.
The agreements grant Eni the rights to explore the new areas for up to nine years.
Since entering Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, Eni has increased its presence, producing approximately 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the Italian oil and gas firm company currently operates six offshore blocks, CI-101, CI-205, CI-401, CI-501, CI-801, and CI-802. These operations are conducted in partnership with Petroci.
The company’s operations in Côte d’Ivoire have led to the discovery of the Baleine and Calao fields, which represent the largest oil finds in the country.
Eni is advancing development plans to expand production from its existing assets.
The Baleine field, which began production in August 2023 under Phase 1, is expected to move to Phase 2 in December 2024. This phase is projected to increase production to 60,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 70 million cubic feet (MMcf), or approximately two million cubic metres, of associated gas.
A third development phase is under evaluation, with plans to boost production further to 150,000bpd and 200MMcf of associated gas.
All gas produced from the Baleine field during the initial and subsequent development phases will be transported onshore through a newly constructed pipeline. This infrastructure is designed to support Côte d’Ivoire’s domestic electricity market by meeting local energy demands while improving access to power.
