Baleine field strengthens West African energy supply as Vitol joins Eni and Petroci in major partnership

(IN BRIEF) Vitol has acquired a 30 percent stake in the Baleine offshore project in Côte d’Ivoire from Eni, joining Petroci in a partnership that underscores the project’s national and regional importance. Now structured as Eni 47.25 percent, Vitol 30 percent, and Petroci 22.75 percent, Baleine is Africa’s first net-zero development and one of the fastest to move from discovery in 2021 to production in 2023. Current output from Phases 1 and 2 exceeds 62,000 barrels of oil and 75 million cubic feet of gas per day, with Phase 3 set to increase production to 150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas daily. The project is central to meeting Côte d’Ivoire’s growing energy needs and enhancing domestic supply. Vitol’s investment builds on its established upstream presence in West Africa and its ongoing collaboration with Eni in Ghana.

(PRESS RELEASE) GENEVA, 25-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Vitol has finalized the acquisition of a 30 percent interest in Côte d’Ivoire’s Baleine project from Eni, further expanding its upstream portfolio in West Africa. Following the transaction, ownership of the country’s flagship offshore development now stands at Eni with 47.25 percent, Vitol with 30 percent, and Petroci holding 22.75 percent.

The Baleine field represents a major milestone for the region. Discovered in 2021 after more than twenty years without a commercial find, the project quickly advanced to production in 2023, marking the fastest turnaround of its kind in the country. Today, Baleine produces more than 62,000 barrels of oil per day along with over 75 million cubic feet of natural gas from its first two phases. Once Phase 3 comes online, production capacity is forecast to reach 150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas daily, reinforcing the project’s importance for Côte d’Ivoire’s energy security and economic development.

As Africa’s first net-zero upstream development, Baleine is setting new standards in environmental performance. The project has been designed to minimize emissions while supplying essential resources to support the country’s industrial growth and electricity generation.

Vitol and Eni already share a track record of collaboration in West Africa through their partnerships in Ghana’s OCTP and Block 4 projects. The acquisition in Côte d’Ivoire strengthens this relationship and highlights Vitol’s long-standing upstream involvement across the region.

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SOURCE: Vitol