Major new hydrocarbon discovery in Côte d'Ivoire
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy has announced a major new hydrocarbon discovery in the Ivorian sedimentary basin by ENI-Côte d'Ivoire and its partner, PETROCI Holding, on Block Cl-205.
In a press release issued on Thursday evening, the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, explained that the well encountered light oil, natural gas and condensates, and that estimates for the moment indicate resources in place of between 1 billion and 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The discovery was made by the Italian oil group Eni, in partnership with PETROCI Holding, in early March 2024.
The new major hydrocarbon discovery, named CALAO, on oil block CI-205, is located around 45 kilometres offshore and 120 km west of the Baleine field. It is the second largest discovery in Côte d'Ivoire.
This new discovery follows the drilling of the Murène-1X well to a depth of 2,800 metres from the seabed, in a 2,200-metre section of water, giving a total depth of 5,000 metres, said the Oil Minister.
The new CALAO field, which is much richer in natural gas, will eventually meet the country's electricity generation needs, he added.
Côte d'Ivoire's oil production capacity was estimated at 150,000 barrels per day on 31 December 2023.
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/SOC/BBA/RA 8March2024
