Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK, Oct. 20 — Portuguese oil and gas company, Galp, is gearing up to commence drilling operations in an offshore block in Namibia, located near the recent significant oil discoveries made by TotalEnergies and Shell.
The drilling activities are set to take place within Petroleum Exploration License 83 (PEL 83), strategically situated in the heart of Namibia’s Orange Basin, a region renowned for its high oil and gas exploration potential.
Galp has secured the services of the semi-submersible rig Hercules from SFL Corporation under a 115-day contract, with the option to extend this agreement. The rig is expected to arrive in Walvis Bay around November 4th, with drilling operations commencing in mid-November.
PEL 83 is positioned immediately north of Shell-operated PEL 39, known for the remarkable basin-opening discoveries at Graff-1, La Rona-1, and Jonker-1. Currently, Shell is in the midst of a multi-well campaign across its blocks and has plans for ongoing exploration and appraisal efforts throughout 2023 and into 2024.
Furthermore, PEL 83 is situated to the northeast of PEL 56, where TotalEnergies recently confirmed a substantial oil discovery at Venus-1. TotalEnergies is committed to advancing Venus into development and continuing exploration endeavours, including recently commencing drilling at the Mangetti-1X prospect, located north of Venus towards PEL 90, operated by Chevron.
Galp’s inaugural drilling campaign is primarily focused on the expansive Mopane complex situated at the southern end of PEL 83. The Mopane complex is estimated to hold a substantial mean oil-in-place volume of up to 10 billion barrels, rendering it one of the most significant and enticing opportunities within the basin.
Maggy Shino, Petroleum Commissioner for the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy, expressed enthusiasm for testing these additional prospects in the basin alongside Galp and its partners. Shino is confident in the joint venture’s ability to conduct a safe, efficient, and successful drilling campaign.
Robert Bose, President & Director of Sintana Energy, which holds an indirect interest in PEL 83, highlighted the strategic importance of PEL 83, coupled with Sintana’s indirect interests in PEL 90 and PEL 87, positioning the company uniquely in the heart of Namibia’s Orange Basin.
The commencement of drilling in this well represents a pivotal moment for both Galp and Namibia. If successful, it has the potential to lead to the development of a significant new oil field in the Orange Basin, which would be a substantial boon to the Namibian economy.
