• TGS launches 19,500 km² offshore seismic project with Petroci

• Authorities use advanced imaging to improve subsurface analysis without new surveys

• Government targets up to 500,000 bpd production by 2035.

Côte d'Ivoire has taken a new step to reduce offshore oil risk. On Tuesday, April 14, TGS announced the launch of a seismic survey project covering approximately 19,500 square kilometers offshore. The project involves state oil company Petroci and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons.

The initiative relies on a specific technological approach. The project uses the “2D-Cubed” method, which allows operators to convert 2D seismic data into a three-dimensional subsurface representation.

TGS stated that this approach improves geological interpretation while avoiding the immediate need for new offshore seismic campaigns.

The project relies on existing datasets. The initiative uses seismic data collected between 2006 and 2014.

TGS reprocessed these datasets in 2024 using advanced imaging technologies, including Pre-Stack Depth Migration. The dataset integrates approximately 14,800 kilometers of seismic lines.

The project aims to refine the understanding of Côte d'Ivoire’s subsurface geology. Stakeholders expect the data to help identify Cretaceous petroleum systems.

The work also aims to pinpoint geological traps, including structural and stratigraphic formations, across the targeted offshore zones.

TGS expects to deliver final results in the third quarter of 2026. The company plans to market the data to multiple oil companies under a multi-client model.

The initiative forms part of a broader cooperation framework aimed at enhancing the attractiveness of Côte d'Ivoire’s offshore sector to international investors. Industry players typically use such datasets to structure oil and gas licensing rounds.

At this stage, Petroci and Ivorian authorities have not announced a new licensing round. Authorities continue exploration activities on already awarded or recently opened blocks.

According to Reuters, Côte d'Ivoire targets oil production of around 200,000 barrels per day by 2030 and 500,000 barrels per day by 2035. Authorities base these projections partly on discoveries such as Baleine and Calao.

This article was initially published in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum