Eni was awarded two exploration blocks off the Ivory Coast, CI-101 and the CI-205. They are located about 50 kilometers from the coast, are deep offshore, in the eastern part of the prolific Tano basin, and cover a total area of about 2.850 square kilometres.
The CI-101 block is located between 200 and 2.500 meters of water depth, 50 km south of the capital Abidjan. Block CI-205 is between 2.000 and 2.700 meters and 80 km southwest of the capital. The Italian energy giant holds the role of operator in both blocks, with a 90% stake, while the state-owned company Petroci holds the remaining 10%.
The assignment of these two blocks is part of the strategy dual exploration model of Eni, which aims at the acquisition of exploration blocks with high hydrocarbon potential with a large majority stake, subsequently allowing the early valorisation of resources through the sale of minority stakes.
The Italian energy giant operates in the Ivory Coast through its subsidiary Eni Côte d'Ivoire Limited, which in 2015 acquired 30% of the CI-100 offshore exploration block, and with this operation it returns to the country in which it had been particularly active , upstream and downstream, in the 60s and 80s.
