China-based energy services provider Wison New Energies (WNE) has confirmed the first steel cut for a newbuild floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, destined for deployment at the next phase of a major oil and gas development off the coast of Côte d’Ivoire, operated by Italy’s Eni.
The first steel was cut for the hull of the Baleine Phase 3 FPSO project on August 30, 2026, with Wison New Energies as the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) contractor thanks to its contract with Eni and Altera Infrastructure.
The Asian company was previously involved in the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase. The official start-up of yard activities is said to mark an important step forward in the execution of the project as it moves into the construction phase.
“We look forward to the project’s next important milestone—the first steel cut for the topsides—and to maintaining this momentum as the project progresses toward successful delivery,” emphasized Wison New Energies.
The start of hull fabrication follows the final investment decision (FID) taken by Eni, Petroci, and Vitol in May 2026 for Baleine Phase 3. The development represents an investment of approximately $4 billion and is intended to bring the Baleine field to its full planned production potential.
The new FPSO will be approximately 308 meters long, 57 meters wide, and 29.8 meters deep, with a design life of at least 20 years. The unit will be capable of processing around 90,000 barrels of oil per day, 160 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and 80,000 barrels per day of produced water.
The vessel will operate in water depths of approximately 800 to 1,200 meters and is expected to have crude storage capacity of around 1.4 million barrels. Phase 3 is expected to significantly expand the Baleine development.
Once fully developed, overall production from the field is expected to reach approximately 150,000 barrels of oil per day, alongside around 200 million cubic feet per day of gas. The gas is intended to support Côte d’Ivoire’s domestic energy and industrial requirements.
Several major international contractors have been hired to bring this project to life. SLB OneSubsea has been awarded an EPC contract, covering subsea production systems for 13 wells, including subsea trees, manifolds, umbilicals, multiphase flowmeters and controls.
TechnipFMC is responsible for flexible flowlines and risers, while Saipem is involved in rigid pipelines, subsea structures and transportation and installation activities. Wison is now looking ahead to the first steel cut for the FPSO topsides, identified as the next major fabrication milestone.
With hull fabrication now underway and the subsea and offshore packages progressing in parallel, the project is entering a critical phase on its path towards FPSO delivery and eventual production. Phase 3 is the third development phase of the Baleine field and builds on the phased development strategy used for the earlier stages of the project.
The development is expected to further strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s position as a significant offshore oil and gas producer while increasing the availability of domestic natural gas for the country’s power and industrial sectors.
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