More exploration drilling activities are being reported offshore Namibia in the Orange Basin by international oil majors as well as relatively new players in the oil and gas game. This heightened activity follows significant light oil discoveries in the area earlier this year by TotalEnergies and Shell.
Currently, TotalEnergies and its partners are in the process of interpreting results of a flow test and incorporating it into development studies, which are expected to be confirmed with the flow test of the Venus well in the fourth quarter of this year.
According to Africa Oil, the Tungsten Explorer drillship will mobilise shortly to drill another well, targeting a prospect located to the north of the Venus discovery with the drilling expected to start this month.
According to online publication, offshore energy.biz, TotalEnergies has made significant progress with a multi-well appraisal and exploration drilling programme carried out with two rigs in the Orange Basin. TotalEnergies is evaluating flow test results at its Venue well that will determine the oil major’s next course of action regarding the commercial development of the discovered resource in Block 2913B (PEL 56).
The block operated by TotalEnergies and partners covers more than 8 000 square kilometres offshore Namibia. The French oil major holds a 40% working interest, alongside QatarEnergy (30%), Africa Oil’s Impact Oil and Gas (20%), and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) at 10%.
TotalEnergies’ partner, Africa Oil, confirmed positive drill stem test (DST) results for the Venus well on 28 September and provided further updates on exploration and appraisal activities on additional blocks in the vicinity.
“Following the discovery at the Venus-1X well, which encountered a high-quality light oil-bearing sandstone reservoir of Lower Cretaceous age, preparations were made to side-track and perform a DST of the oil-bearing reservoirs using Northern Ocean’s Deepsea Mira semi-submersible rig, which is managed by by Odfjell Drilling,” stated offshore energy.biz.
The online publication quoted Africa Oil’s president and CEO, Roger Tucker, as saying: “The successful Venus-1X DST programme is a major milestone in the Venus campaign and, if confirmed by Venus-1A DST results, supports the commercial development of this world-class light oil discovery.”
“It is important to highlight that the opportunity here is not just about one discovery, and we expect that further work will be done to mature large-scale targets already identified on Block 2193B, including those to the south of Venus. We have an exciting work programme ahead of us and together with our other interests in the Orange Basin, we have a very exciting and attractive opportunity set,” said Tucker.
Africa Oil’s Impact, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Impact Oil and Gas Namibia, holds an 18.89% working interest in an adjacent Block 2912 (PEL 91), where it is partnered with TotalEnergies (operator with 37.78% interest), QatarEnergy (28.33%) and Namcor (15%).
TotalEnergies’ ultra-deepwater Venues well, which was spudded in December 2021, is a light oil and associated gas field located approximately 290km off the coast of southern Namibia at a depth of approximately 3 000 metres.
The French giant planned to embark on a multi-well drilling programme before the end of February 2023, targeting up to four wells. TotalEnergies is also investigating the possible westerly extension of the Venus well on Block 2912.
“Furthermore, the DST programme, which began in early September, has been concluded. It flowed oil with positive DST results. The Venus-1A appraisal well, located approximately 13km northwest of the Venus-1X discovery well, was drilled to a total depth of 6 146 metres, cored and logged using Vantage Drilling’s Tungsten Explorer drillship. The Deepsea Mira rig will re-enter Venus-1A imminently to undertake a DST programme,” offshore energy.biz stated.