BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 28. Eni has signed contracts with the Ministry of Mines, Oil, and Energy of Côte d'Ivoire to acquire four new offshore exploration blocks in the country, Trend reports.
The agreement was finalized in Abidjan during the first edition of the SIREXE International Exhibition of Extractive and Energy Resources.
The newly acquired blocks—CI-504, CI-526, CI-706, and CI-708—cover a total area of 5,720 square kilometers, with water depths ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 meters. These blocks are located near Eni's Calao discovery in Block CI-205, providing potential for future synergies. Under the terms of the contracts, Eni will have exploration rights for up to nine years.
Eni has been operating in Côte d'Ivoire since 2015 and currently produces around 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from six offshore blocks. The company has made two major discoveries, Baleine and Calao, and is working to significantly increase its production. Phase 2 of the Baleine project, set to start in December 2024, will bring production from the field to 60,000 barrels of oil per day, with plans for further expansion in Phase 3.