Castorone, located in the Black sea, the is one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced pipelay vessels. Operating in S-lay configuration, it is capable of installing pipelines up to 60 inches in diameter in environments ranging from shallow waters to ultra-deepwater. Equipped with a DP3 dynamic positioning system, an advanced automated welding line, and a high-capacity pipelay system, Castorone delivers high production rates, precision, and reliability for complex offshore pipeline installation projects.

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.