The National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), on behalf of the PEL 85 joint venture partners Rhino Resources this week announced the completion of drilling operations for an exploration well in the Orange basin. With drilling operations on the Sagittarius-1X well now concluded, the drillship has moved to the next well in the campaign, Capricornus-1X, which is expected to test a separate fairway within PEL 85.
The joint venture partners include Rhino Resources (42.5%), Azule Energy (42.5%), Namcor (10%) and Korres (5%).
A Namcor statement said, the drilling, conducted by the Noble Venturer drillship, commenced on 18 December 2024, and reached total depth on 6 February 2025.
Namcor stated the well targeted Upper Cretaceous reservoirs, and encountered a hydrocarbon-bearing formation with no observed water contact. Also, comprehensive wireline logging operations were conducted, enabling the collection of hydrocarbon samples and sidewall cores for further analysis.
Commenting on the initial well results, Rhino Resources’ chief executive officer Travis Smithard highlighted: “We are pleased to have safely and successfully completed the drilling of the first exploration well in our programme on PEL 85. The hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir encountered is evidence for the effectiveness of charge, although further assessment will be required by Rhino and the PEL 85 JV partners to evaluate the results of the well.”
“Our attention now turns to the second target in the programme, which is the Capricornus prospect, a NE-SW trending channel system. The Capricornus-1X well is due to be spud within the next 24 hours, and is estimated the to take 47 days to drill.”
Meanwhile, Namcor statement added that laboratory evaluation will confirm fluid and reservoir properties. “The successful drilling of the Sagittarius-1X well marks a significant step for Namibia’s upstream sector, further strengthening the country’s position in the Orange Basin. The presence of hydrocarbons is an encouraging indicator of the basin’s potential, and we look forward to collaborating with our joint venture partners to fully assess the results of this well,” said Namcor executive for upstream exploration, Victoria Sibeya.
Namcor remains committed to working alongside its partners to advance Namibia’s energy exploration efforts, while contributing to the country’s energy security and economic development. Many oil companies looking for more hydrocarbons in the Orange basin, including TotalEnergies, made what is perceived to be one of the more significant hydrocarbon plays in the Venus oil discovery. Moreover, the Noble Venturer drillship is scheduled to begin an assignment with Tullow Ghana, a subsidiary of the UK-based Tullow Oil in May 2025, in direct continuation after the completion of a campaign for Rhino Resources. In addition, Custos Energy, a Namibian oil exploration company, has finalised a farm-in agreement that provides Chevron Namibia Exploration II, a subsidiary of Chevron, an 80% participating interest and operatorship of PEL 82.
According to industry insiders, Custos and Namcor will each retain a 10% stake in the offshore block. PEL 82, encompassing blocks 2112B and 2212A, is situated in the Walvis Basin, and is highly regarded for its exploration potential.
Custos has noted the availability of extensive seismic data, including over
3 500km of 2D and 9 500 square kilometres of 3D coverage, as a significant advantage. This licence area has also been the site of prior drilling activities, including the Murombe-1 and Wingat-1 wells.
Knowledge Katti, chairman and chief executive officer of Custos Energy, stated: “Completion of Chevron’s entry into PEL 82 is another indicator of the quality and opportunity associated with our offshore portfolio…We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Chevron, positioning us to unveil together another emerging Basin in Namibia.”