The Italian multinational energy company, Eni, has effectively drilled Murene South-1X, its first exploration well in Block CI-501, in Ivory Coast, making a significant gas and condensate discovery. The discovery, named Calao South, confirms the potential of the Calao channel complex, which also includes the Calao discovery and is the country’s second largest after Baleine, with estimated volumes of up to 140 billion cubic meters of gas and 450 million barrels of condensate (about 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent). The discovery was made on high-quality Cenomanian sands. The Baleine field is now producing about 62,000 barrels of oil and over 2 million cubic meters of gas per day from Phases 1 and 2. With the start of Phase 3, output is expected to climb to 150,000 barrels of oil and around 6 million cubic meters of gas per day, cementing Baleine's position as a critical resource for supplying Côte d'Ivoire's domestic energy needs.