By Ebi Kesiena
Namibia is rapidly gaining recognition as a key player in Africa’s Oil and Gas sector, driven by significant offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin.
Since 2022, Global Energy giants, Shell and TotalEnergies, have announced the discovery of light Oil and Natural Gas in the Graff and Jonker fields, attracting widespread attention to the country’s energy potential.
The momentum continued into 2023 with Galp’s Mopane discovery, solidifying Namibia’s position as a global exploration hotspot. While commercial production is yet to be realized, these discoveries have sparked optimism for the future, particularly with TotalEnergies’ Venus field, which could yield over one billion barrels of recoverable oil.
The Venus project, if developed, would represent Namibia’s deepest offshore venture to date, with production anticipated to start by 2028. According to AOW Energy, the combined output from Namibia’s three major projects could reach up to one million barrels per day by early 2030, dramatically reshaping the country’s energy landscape.
Meanwhile, increased interest in Namibia’s oil-rich Orange Basin has spurred competition among industry heavyweights.
Companies such as: Chevron, Woodside, and Rhino Resources, which hold adjacent blocks to Galp, are planning exploration campaigns for 2024 and 2025, signaling growing confidence in the region’s untapped potential.
Onshore exploration is also making strides.
In July, Reconnaissance Energy, began drilling at the Naingopo Exploration Well, marking a significant development for Namibia’s previously unexplored basins. Additionally, the Kudu gas field, originally discovered in 1974, has garnered renewed interest, with BW Energy planning to commence drilling as early as next year.
Despite these promising developments, challenges remain over resource access in diamond-rich areas near Lüderitz, as well as the under-exploration of Namibia’s vast 230,000 square kilometers of licensed acreage, highlight potential hurdles.
The country has only drilled 20 deepwater wells, a stark contrast to more mature regions like the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico, where thousands have been drilled.
Namibia’s National Oil Company (NAMCOR) is actively working to overcome these challenges by expanding its role as an operator and exploring downstream opportunities, including ventures into hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
These efforts aim to diversify the country’s energy portfolio and solidify Namibia’s role as a sustainable energy leader in Africa.
