The FPSO Florence will enable the start-up of production from the Baleine field, currently the largest hydrocarbon discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, with an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of oil in place and 3.3 trillion cubic feet of associated gas. The Baleine development is also expected to become Africa’s first net-zero upstream project. Upon its arrival in Ivory Coast, the vessel will be renamed FPSO Baleine. The unit has been refurbished and upgraded to process up to 15,000 barrels of oil per day (bbl/d) and approximately 25 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) of associated gas. All produced gas will be transported onshore through a newly constructed export pipeline.

PEMEX is investing in constructing two new coker plants at the Tula refinery and Salina Cruz refinery, scheduled to go online in 2024, to phase out fuel oil production. The Salina Cruz cracking refinery, located in Oaxaca, Mexico, is a non-integrated cracking facility owned by Petroleos Mexicanos. It commenced operations in 1979 and boasts a Nelson Complexity Index (NCI) of 8.1. Works on the Salina Cruz unit began in 2022. The plant is expected to contribute to the elimination of fuel oil and the increased production of ultra-low sulfur gasoline and diesel at the refinery.