Italian energy giant Eni has announced a landmark gas and condensate discovery off the coast of Côte d’Ivoire, confirming what could be one of West Africa’s most significant offshore finds in years. The Calao South field, struck through exploratory drilling of the Murene South-1X well in Block CI-501, is estimated to contain up to 5.0 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas and 450 million barrels of condensate — equivalent to approximately 1.4 billion barrels of oil.
The discovery is Côte d’Ivoire’s second-largest hydrocarbon find on record, surpassed only by the Baleine field — itself currently producing more than 62,000 barrels of oil and over 75 million cubic feet of gas per day from Phases 1 and 2. When Phase 3 of Baleine comes online, combined output is expected to climb to 150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas per day.
The Murene South-1X well is the first exploration well drilled in Block CI-501, which is operated by Eni with a 90% stake alongside partner Petroci Holding, which holds the remaining 10%. The well was drilled by the Saipem Santorini drillship to a total depth of approximately 5,000 metres in water depths of around 2,200 metres, and encountered high-quality Cenomanian sands with a gross hydrocarbon-bearing interval of approximately 50 metres, characterised by excellent petrophysical properties.
The Calao South well is located about 8 kilometres southwest of the previously known Murene-1X discovery in the adjacent CI-205 block, and the find confirms the broader potential of the Calao channel complex. Eni has said the well will undergo a full conventional drill stem test (DST) to assess production capacity.
Eni has been active in Côte d’Ivoire since 2015 and holds interests in nine additional exploration blocks, suggesting further drilling activity and potential discoveries could follow. The Calao South find positions these resources as crucial assets for meeting the country’s growing domestic energy demands and adds significantly to Ivory Coast’s offshore portfolio.
SOURCE: oedigital.com | africa.com