Following the recent light oil discoveries offshore in the Orange Basin, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) has seen increasing interest from potential upstream oil and gas investors. To service its clients, Namcor continues to host data rooms for clients to assess and evaluate non-proprietary exploration datasets for potential farm-in opportunities with existing acreage holders and licence applications.

This is done through the mines and energy ministry.  Namibia’s promising oil and gas sector is advancing significantly, with multiple high-impact wells, appraisal studies and seismic campaigns in the prolific Orange Basin. The basin has been identified as a hotspot of global attention, reflecting its tremendous hydrocarbon potential. According to an update from Namcor, notable progress includes the appraisal of prolific fields like Venus (PEL 56) and Mopane (PEL 83), and new exploration initiatives such as ongoing drilling in PELs 56, 83, 85  and 90, and the currently ongoing development studies. 

Namcor provided its update involving offshore exploration, appraisal and development activities on blocks 2814 (PL003), 2913A & 2914B (PEL 39), 2913B (PEL 56), 2813A (PEL 83), 2914A (PEL 85), 2813B (PEL 90) located in the offshore Orange Basin, one of the world’s most promising oil and gas regions. 

Block 2913B 

TotalEnergies (50.5% operator), QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas Namibia (Pty) Ltd (9.5%) and Namcor (10%) as joint venture (JV) partners are currently progressing with extensive post- well studies of the cores, logging data and fluid samples acquired from the Venus wells, and will continue through 2025. The JV partners are now progressing with fast-tracking the studies of a potential Venus development. 

In addition, the spudding of the Tamboti-1X exploration well commenced in October 2024. Drilling operations are currently ongoing. Finally, technical evaluation on the block maturation and prospectivity are ongoing for further exploration and appraisal activities. 

Block 2813A 

Galp (80% operator), Namcor (10%) and Custos Energy Ltd (10%) have successfully drilled, cored and logged the Mopane-1A appraisal well (Well #3), which was spud on 23 October 2024 and completed on 28 November 2024. 

Mopane-1A well encountered light oil and gas-condensate in high, quality reservoir-bearing sands, once again indicating good porosities, high permeabilities and high pressures, as well as low oil viscosity characteristics with minimum CO2 and no H2S concentrations. 

Together with the Mopane-1X (Well #1) and Mopane-2X (Well #2) findings, these appraisal wells confirm the extension and quality of AVO-1. Therefore, Galp and its partners will continue to analyse and integrate all newly-acquired data. 

Additionally, the Mopane 2A well (Well #4) in PEL83, which spudded on 2 December 2024, encountered gas-condensate in AVO-3 and hydrocarbon liquids in AVO-4. 

As part of the ongoing exploration and appraisal campaign in the wider Mopane area, the drillship has now spudded the Mopane-3X exploration well location (Well #5) on 2 January 2025, and drilling operations are ongoing. In parallel, the JV is conducting a high-density and high-resolution proprietary 3D development seismic campaign over the Mopane complex. 

2813B

Chevron Namibia Exploration Ltd (80% operator), Namcor (10%) and TRAGO (10%) completed drilling the exploration well Kapana-1X in the frontier basin of the Orange Basin in early January 2025. While operations reached total depth ahead of plan, the well did not find commercial hydrocarbons. The operations, however, did provide valuable information on important aspects of the basin, and effective and efficient execution increases confidence in future programmes on PEL 90. 

The joint venture will incorporate the well results and anticipate future exploration activity in Namibia. 

2914A 

Rhino Resources (42.5% operator), Azule Energy (42.5%), Namcor (10%) and Korres (5%) as joint venture partners continue to progress with the drilling activities of the Sagittarius-1X exploration, the first in a multi-well programme. The exploration well was spud on 18
 December 2024, using the Noble Venturer Drillship, and is expected to take 45 days to complete. 

Kudu discovery 

BW Kudu Ltd (95% operator), and Namcor (5%, with a further 5% back-in right) are committed to developing the gas-to-power project, which will serve as a national strategic project to solve the energy need for Namibia and its neighbours. The JV is on course to submit the field development plan to the Ministry of Mines and Energy by Q2 2025. In addition, the JV is currently preparing for an appraisal drilling campaign of up to two wells, of which the long lead items have already been purchased ahead of a Q3 2025 spud date. 

Block 2913A & 2914B 

Shell Namibia (45% operator), QatarEnergy (45%) and Namcor (10%) as joint venture partners are currently progressing with extensive post-well studies of the cores and fluid samples acquired from the Jonker, Enigma and Graff wells.

This is to improve the understanding of the reservoirs, and expand that knowledge to other potential opportunities on the block. These studies will continue through 2025. 

Technical studies 

Namcor, as a custodian of Namibia’s hydrocarbon exploration data, is conducting in-house geological, geophysical and engineering studies to enhance subsurface knowledge on the hydrocarbon prospectivity offshore and onshore Namibia.  The aim is to provide such information to potential investors to allow them to make informed decisions. Additionally, these studies allow Namcor to continue safeguarding its interest in the Petroleum Exploration Licences on behalf of the Namibian government.