Welligence Cote d’Ivoire M&A | SOCAR takes 10% in Baleine and enters Côte d’Ivoire
January 23, 2026
SOCAR’s acquisition of a 10% interest in the Baleine deepwater field in Côte d’Ivoire provides the Azerbaijani national oil company with immediate exposure to producing barrels in Côte d’Ivoire, alongside meaningful upside from the upcoming Phase 3 development. This report evaluates the transaction’s strategic fit within SOCAR’s international expansion agenda and Eni’s capital recycling strategy, and benchmarks the Baleine asset against recent upstream transactions in the region.