What is the significance of the Baleine Phase 3 project for the global offshore industry?

Baleine Phase 3 represents a benchmark for rapid deepwater development, demonstrating that massive offshore discoveries can be brought online in record time through standardized subsea architecture and strategic supplier partnerships. It also serves as a real-world testing ground for large-scale, net-zero Scope 1 and 2 offshore oil production.

How does SLB OneSubsea's involvement benefit Eni's strategy in West Africa?

By leveraging SLB OneSubsea's integrated technology portfolio, Eni reduces project execution risks, optimizes subsea hardware compatibility, and ensures reliable delivery timelines. This partnership is crucial for Eni to maintain its aggressive fast-track schedule and manage costs in a highly competitive deepwater supply chain environment.

What are the expected production impacts of the Baleine field's expansion?

The successive phases of the Baleine field, culminating in Phase 3, are expected to elevate Côte d’Ivoire to a premier oil-producing nation in West Africa, generating substantial fiscal revenues and providing abundant associated gas to fuel the country's domestic power sector.

Offshore Technology · July 14, 2026 (Jul 14) · 1 min read

SLB OneSubsea wins EPC contract for Baleine phase three

ENI S.p.A.

Isometric technical illustration of offshore oil and gas operations with drillship and support vessel — Illustration: ENI S.p.A.

Analysis

AI-assisted analysis · reviewed by Yuri Kan

Eni's award of the Phase 3 subsea production contract for the Baleine field to SLB OneSubsea marks a critical acceleration of Africa's first net-zero emissions Scope 1 and 2 development. This contract underscores the industry's shift toward fast-track deepwater projects utilizing standardized subsea technology to shorten the cycle from discovery to first oil. For the global offshore sector, this demonstrates how major operators are leveraging joint-venture capabilities like OneSubsea to de-risk complex deepwater execution in frontier basins.

Key Facts

SLB OneSubsea has been awarded a major engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract by Italian major Eni.
The contract covers the supply of subsea production systems, control systems, and ancillary equipment specifically for Phase 3 of the Baleine field development.
The Baleine field is located in the deepwater offshore territory of Côte d’Ivoire, representing the largest hydrocarbon discovery in the country to date.
This phase of the project aims to significantly expand the field's production capacity, building on the fast-track milestones achieved in Phases 1 and 2.
The scope of work includes the installation of highly specialized subsea trees, wellheads, and control units designed for deepwater operations.

Background & Context

The Baleine field was discovered by Eni in September 2021, followed by a successful appraisal well in 2022 that vastly upgraded its estimated reserves to over 2.5 billion barrels of oil and 3.3 trillion cubic feet of associated gas. Eni fast-tracked the development, achieving first oil from Phase 1 in August 2023, less than two years after the initial discovery. The project is pioneering the industry's push toward decarbonized production, utilizing a refurbished FPSO and an FSO alongside advanced emissions-reduction technologies to achieve net-zero operations.

Market Impact

This contract award solidifies SLB OneSubsea's position as a dominant player in the deepwater subsea hardware market, showcasing the strength of the SLB-Aker Solutions-Subsea7 joint venture. For Côte d’Ivoire, the rapid progression into Phase 3 will dramatically boost domestic energy security and position the nation as a major regional energy exporter. Furthermore, Eni's success with this fast-track model is likely to influence how other international oil companies structure their deepwater development timelines in West Africa and beyond, favoring standardized subsea solutions over bespoke engineering.

What to Watch

Going forward, the market will watch for the fabrication and delivery timelines of the subsea hardware, with installation expected to align with Phase 3's targeted first oil date. Analysts will also monitor whether Eni can maintain its strict net-zero emissions profile as production volumes scale up significantly during this third phase. Additionally, the successful execution of this phase will likely trigger further exploration campaigns in adjacent blocks offshore Côte d’Ivoire.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of the Baleine Phase 3 project for the global offshore industry?: Baleine Phase 3 represents a benchmark for rapid deepwater development, demonstrating that massive offshore discoveries can be brought online in record time through standardized subsea architecture and strategic supplier partnerships. It also serves as a real-world testing ground for large-scale, net-zero Scope 1 and 2 offshore oil production.
How does SLB OneSubsea's involvement benefit Eni's strategy in West Africa?: By leveraging SLB OneSubsea's integrated technology portfolio, Eni reduces project execution risks, optimizes subsea hardware compatibility, and ensures reliable delivery timelines. This partnership is crucial for Eni to maintain its aggressive fast-track schedule and manage costs in a highly competitive deepwater supply chain environment.
What are the expected production impacts of the Baleine field's expansion?: The successive phases of the Baleine field, culminating in Phase 3, are expected to elevate Côte d’Ivoire to a premier oil-producing nation in West Africa, generating substantial fiscal revenues and providing abundant associated gas to fuel the country's domestic power sector.

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