How Aberdeen Expertise is Driving Altera Infrastructure’s Rapid Offshore Expansion in Ivory Coast

Aberdeen’s standing as a global hub for offshore engineering is becoming increasingly evident as Altera Infrastructure attributes its rapid growth in Ivory Coast to capabilities anchored in the North-east of Scotland.

At the Wider African Energy Summit hosted alongside the African Energy Chamber, Stig Bøtker, Director of Business Development at Altera Infrastructure, made clear that the company’s African success is underpinned by the talent, technical depth, and offshore heritage found in Aberdeen. “Aberdeen is a strategic base for Altera’s operations,” he said, noting that the city’s expertise has become essential to its fast-track developments abroad.

This expertise is embodied in the FPSO Petrojarl Kong, now delivering strong results at the Baleine Field offshore Ivory Coast. The vessel’s redevelopment began in late 2022 and achieved first oil in December 2024 – a remarkably compressed timeline of just 24 months, made possible through the engineering and project-management strengths rooted in Aberdeen. The FPSO is currently producing 40,000 barrels of oil per day and 44 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, with gas supplied to an onshore power plant to ensure affordable and stable energy across the region.

Altera’s Aberdeen-supported capability also played a role in securing $464 million in post-delivery financing for the Petrojarl Kong via a U.S. private placement. It is one of the first deals of its kind for a West African offshore development and signals confidence in the company’s model. Bøtker said the momentum is encouraging: “We hope to get more projects in Ivory Coast.”

Local capacity building is another area where Aberdeen’s influence is visible. The company has achieved 85% Ivorian employment onshore and 46% offshore, supported by training programmes, collaboration with educational institutions, and hands-on development on existing FPSOs. “It’s about strengthening local suppliers, promoting transparency, getting local suppliers to understand how we operate and our core values,” Bøtker said. He added that developing Ivorian-led capabilities remains fundamental: “It’s important for us to continue developing people.”

Aberdeen-driven innovation is also shaping Altera’s environmental approach in West Africa. Emissions-reduction technologies, including several already deployed on the Petrojarl Kong, are being transferred to the region as part of a wider push to supply more services locally while building long-term technical capacity.

As Altera deepens its footprint in Ivory Coast, the company’s reliance on Aberdeen’s offshore strengths underscores how the city’s mature energy ecosystem continues to support emerging markets and new frontiers in global offshore development.