Staff Reporter
LONDON, Sept. 1 – Shell, the global energy giant, announced on Thursday that its Cullinan-1X exploration well, situated offshore Namibia, did not yield a commercial oil and gas discovery. This revelation comes amidst growing international interest in Namibia’s untapped oil and gas potential, driven by recent discoveries by Shell and TotalEnergies off the southern African nation’s coast.
While the Cullinan-1X well did not result in significant discovery, Shell expressed optimism regarding the indications of a functional petroleum system in this previously unexplored area within its licensed territory. In a statement, the company stated, “The well did not make a discovery, however we are encouraged to have found indications of a working petroleum system in this previously untested area of our licence.”
Following the conclusion of the well, Shell has decided to plug and abandon it. The next steps will involve a meticulous analysis of the data collected during the exploration process before any further activities are determined.
Shell, in partnership with QatarEnergy and Namibia’s national oil company, has achieved noteworthy success in recent years with four oil discoveries in Namibia, including the Graff and Jonker wells. The promising results from drilling tests earlier this year, as noted by Zoë Yujnovich, Shell’s head of upstream on June 14, had raised expectations for further successful explorations.
Namibia, a country yet to produce any significant oil and gas, has become a focal point for global energy corporations due to its potential as an emerging player in the oil and gas industry. The recent developments by Shell and TotalEnergies underscore the growing interest and investment in this region, as explorers seek to unlock the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.
