The Belgian company Exmar has signed multi-year contracts with CI-Energies and Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire (Petroci) for the supply and operation of a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) with a capacity of 152,000 cubic meters in the port of Abidjan. The import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) will begin in the third quarter of 2027, as Côte d'Ivoire seeks to strengthen gas supply and meet the growing demand for electricity.
Contract Details and Economic Impacts
Exmar's contracts involve the establishment of an FSRU unit with a capacity of 152,000 cubic meters and the ability to supply 250 million cubic feet per day. This unit will be located in the port of Abidjan and is expected to generate annual EBITDA of approximately $21.3 million. In this context, Exmar has emphasized the importance of its floating infrastructure solutions as a quick and competitive solution for providing strategic energy. This project has been recognized as a priority project by President Ouattara at the beginning of his fourth term earlier this year.
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Gas Supply and Energy Security
Petroci will source LNG from the international market and will import it through this FSRU unit starting in the third quarter of 2027, delivering the regasified LNG to CI-Energies for electricity generation. Petroci has stated that Côte d'Ivoire's demand for natural gas and electricity continues to rise alongside the country's economic growth. This FSRU unit represents a significant step in strengthening the country's energy security and provides an additional and flexible source of natural gas that will complement domestic production and existing infrastructure.
CI-Energies has also emphasized that Côte d'Ivoire aims to become a leading regional energy hub, and securing natural gas supply is a key factor for the success of this goal. This FSRU project will serve as a strategic effort and a key factor in meeting natural gas needs in the short, medium, and long term for the economic and energy growth of Côte d'Ivoire.
Exmar has been active in recent months and has recently received an LNG vessel that is set to be converted into a floating transshipment unit (FTU) to support the growing LNG bunkering market.
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