Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi has held talks with Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara on plans to fast track the development of the Baleine 1-X discovery.
Eni reported Ouattara’s support for investments and bringing the discovery to market.
The two held discussions on October 1. Also attending were secretary general of the presidency Abdourahmane Cissé, the Minister of Economy and Finances Adama Coulibaly, and the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy Thomas Camara.
Ouattara and Descalzi discussed plans for a net zero development. This would combine oil and gas plans with renewables and decarbonisation work, such as forestry programmes. This might include United Nations’ REDD programme.
The two also touched on local content issues. Eni Corporate University (ECU) and the local Ecole Supérieure du Pétrole et de l’Energie (ESPE) would work together to develop skills and human capital, the statement said.
It has been 20 years since the last commercial discovery off Cote d’Ivoire. The Baleine find opens a new exploration concept in a mature basin, Eni noted.
The find could hold more than 2 billion barrels of oil in place and around 2.4 trillion cubic feet of associated gas. The gas would be developed to drive local power generation.
Descalzi went on to meet Benin President Patrice Talon on October 4. The two talked about opportunities in bio-refining
Eni recently signed a three-year agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This had a particular focus on biofuels in Africa.