Voyageur Spirit FPSO to be redeployed and Shuttle Tanker Nordic Brasilia to be converted into FSO

Altera Infrastructure has been awarded contracts for redeployment of the FPSO Voyageur Spirit and the shuttle tanker Nordic Brasilia for the Baleine Phase 2 project, located offshore Côte d'Ivoire. The vessels are set for deployment on the Baleine field with a 15-year firm contract.

The development of the project will be on a fast-track schedule with a planned start-up date for Phase 2 in the fourth quarter 2024. The vessels, Voyageur Spirit and Nordic Brasilia, are currently undergoing life extension work and field specific modifications at Drydocks World in Dubai. Voyageur Spirit is a cylindrical shaped FPSO, that previously operated on the Huntington field in the North Sea until 2020. The shuttle tanker Nordic Brasilia will be converted into an FSO to provide additional storage capacity to the Voyageur FPSO. Altera will own and operate both vessels.

The development of Baleine is Africa’s first net zero emissions project – (Scope 1 and 2) and Altera is excited to join Eni in moving the industry forward by focusing on more sustainable developments.

Chris Brett, President Altera Infrastructure Production;
“Securing contracts in a promising region like Côte d'Ivoire is a significant acknowledgment of Altera’s capability in delivering complex projects on a fast-track timeline. This is now our second contract award in short succession based on the redeployment of an existing FPSO and demonstrates that redeployments are some of the fastest, most cost-effective and emissions friendly ways for our customers to develop their projects in the current market. With this award, we continue to build our project presence in Dubai and already have a presence in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire where we intend to be committed and engaged contributors to the development of a growing industry for many years to come.”

The Baleine project

The Baleine project is the largest finding of hydrocarbons made by an energy company in Côte d'Ivoire, as well as the first commercial discovery made in the Country, in the past 20 years. In particular, it will allow the country to further increase domestic access to energy. Thanks to this discovery, Côte d'Ivoire will also strengthen its role as a regional energy hub for neighbouring countries. The country has one of the most extensive electricity systems in West Africa and currently about 10-20% of its electricity production is exported to Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Togo and Liberia. Baleine’s gas production is therefore strategic since it will increase domestic and regional supply, while oil production will be instrumental in boosting exports. Baleine will be the first net-zero emission development (Scope 1 and 2) in Africa, thanks to innovative projects.

KeyFacts Energy: Eni Cote d'Ivoire country profile