Phase 3 of the Baleine Oil and Gas Field: ENI-PETROCI-VITOL Consortium Signs Final Investment Decision Worth USD 4 Billion

As part of the development of the third and final phase of the Baleine oil and gas field, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, chaired the signing ceremony of the Final Investment Decision (FID) by the ENI-PETROCI-VITOL consortium on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Cocody, Abidjan. The investment amounts to USD 4 billion.

“Today, Phase 3 will not only significantly increase our national oil and gas production, but also strengthen our energy security, sustainably support economic growth, and enhance the competitiveness of our economy,” said Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly.

He added that the project would also help secure gas supplies for electricity generation, a key factor in supporting the country’s industrialization and meeting the growing needs of households and businesses.

On the occasion, the minister announced that Côte d’Ivoire has launched, with the support of the World Bank, the implementation of a Gas Master Plan aimed at developing the CALAO field to meet the energy needs of Côte d’Ivoire and the wider sub-region.

Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly further recalled that “the Baleine field, with estimated resources of 2.5 billion barrels of crude oil and 3.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, represents the largest hydrocarbon discovery ever made in Côte d’Ivoire.”

“The development of the Baleine field requires a total investment of USD 8 billion, including USD 4.5 billion already committed for the first two phases and USD 4 billion for this third and final phase,” he added.

According to the minister, Baleine is “the first net-zero oil and gas project in Africa,” combining sustainable development and carbon offset initiatives such as the clean cooking program, which has already enabled the distribution of 200,000 improved cookstoves; the conservation and restoration of 14 classified forests covering 145,000 hectares; and the production of biofuel from rubber tree seeds.

For his part, Guido Brusco, Chief Operating Officer for Natural Resources at Eni, welcomed the fact that since the discovery of Baleine in 2021, Côte d’Ivoire has become a leading energy player on the African continent.

“With this third phase, Baleine will reach a production capacity of 150,000 barrels of oil per day and significantly increase gas volumes supplied to the domestic market, with a gas production plateau of 200 million cubic feet per day expected for at least twelve years, in order to sustainably support electricity generation and industrial development,” he stated.