Wison New Energies has been awarded the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commissioning (EPCIC) contract for the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility that will support the Baleine Phase 3 offshore oil and gas development in Côte d’Ivoire. The contract was signed with Italian energy major Eni and offshore infrastructure specialist Altera Infrastructure.
The award marks another important step in Wison’s expansion within the global FPSO market, highlighting the company’s ability to deliver offshore projects from the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) stage through to full EPCIC execution. Under the project structure, Eni is leading the Baleine Phase 3 development, while Altera Infrastructure will own and operate the FPSO once construction is completed. Altera also played a key role in the previous phase of the project, overseeing the redeployment of the FPSO Petrojarl Kong and the FSO Yamoussoukro for Baleine Phase 2.
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Project design and features
The new FPSO will be built by Wison New Energies in China and deployed in water depths ranging from approximately 800 to 1,200 metres. The facility is designed to produce up to 90,000 barrels of oil per day, process 80,000 barrels of produced water daily and handle 160 million standard cubic feet of natural gas each day. It will also have storage capacity for around 1.4 million barrels of crude oil and is expected to remain in service for at least two decades. The vessel will measure about 308 metres in length, 57 metres in width and nearly 30 metres in depth, forming a key part of the infrastructure required to unlock additional production from the Baleine field.
Commenting on the contract award, Cheng Yuanyun, Chief Executive Officer of Wison New Energies, said the agreement reflects the confidence international customers have in the company’s engineering expertise, project delivery capabilities and supply chain management. She added that Wison intends to apply its integrated project management approach to ensure successful execution of the development.
The project follows Eni’s final investment decision for Baleine Phase 3, announced in May 2026. Located roughly 70 kilometres off the coast of Côte d’Ivoire in water depths between 700 and 1,300 metres, the Baleine development has become one of the most significant offshore energy projects in West Africa.
With the completion of Phase 3, total production from the Baleine field is expected to increase to around 150,000 barrels of oil per day and 200 million cubic feet of natural gas daily. According to the project partners, all gas produced will be supplied to the domestic market, supporting electricity generation, industrial expansion and the country’s long-term energy security.
Chris Brett, President of Altera Production, said the project demonstrates Altera Infrastructure’s ability to combine commercial expertise, offshore operational experience and access to international financing to deliver large-scale energy developments. He noted that the project also strengthens the company’s long-term relationship with Eni while expanding its presence in Côte d’Ivoire.
After construction is completed, Altera Infrastructure will assume ownership of the FPSO and operate the vessel under a 15-year bareboat charter agreement with Eni. The company also confirmed it has secured long-term financing from international institutional investors, providing financial support from construction through the entire charter period. For Wison New Energies, the contract further reinforces its growing capabilities in FPSO engineering and project delivery, while contributing to the continued development of offshore energy resources in West Africa.
