Fossil Energy – Discovery
Eni has made a gas and condensate discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, after drilling Murene South-1X, the first exploration well in Block CI-501.
Eni reported on Monday, 16 February 2026, that the discovery, named Calao South, confirms the potential of the Calao channel complex that includes the Calao discovery, announced in March 2024.
The discovery represents the second largest in the country after Baleine, with estimated volumes of up to 5.0 Tcf of and 450 million barrels of condensate (approximately 1.4 billion barrels of oil). It was made in high-quality Cenomanian sands.
The well was drilled using Saipem’s 12,000-ft drillship Santorini, which arrived in Côte d’Ivoire in early January 2026, to a total depth of around 5,000 meters in a 2,200-meter water depth. The well underwent an extensive data acquisition campaign.
