ReconAfrica has spud the Naingopo exploration well onshore northeast Namibia on PEL 73 (partners Namcor) on July 7, 2024. This latest drilling campaign will be the first to target the Damara Fold Belt, a northwest/southeast-trending series of thrusts forming a regional folded foredeep basin, containing very large traps that have yet to be tested. The well will be drilled to a planned TD of approximately 3,800 m with Recon’s own rig (Jarvie 1) and is expected to encounter multiple reservoir intervals targeting both oil and natural gas. The well is targeting 163 mmbo or 843 BCF net according to ReconAfrica.
See also: ReconAfrica’s exploration program in one of the most underexplored basins
Whilst Recon refers to this as the first well in a multi-well exploration campaign, the firm has drilled 3 “strat test” wells in recent years to test the petroleum potential of the major rifted play of the Kavango Basin within PEL73. North of the Omatako River, the wells Kawe 6-2 (April 2021), Mbambi 6-1 (July 2021), and Makandina 8-2 (August 2022) variously reported oil and gas shows through the Karoo, early Paleozoic and late Proterozoic.
This latest drilling campaign will be watched closely by the industry as exploration companies size up the potential prize in this part of onshore southwest Africa. While Invictus appear to have had success with their Mukuyu well in Zimbabwe (awaiting further tests), Botswana and South Africa nearby currently host shallow gas and CBM. A large oil discovery or multi-TCF gas find at PEL 73 would light the blue touch paper on a number of plays in the region, as well as the extension of the Damara play into PEL 101 to the south (Elephant Oil with local partner Niikela).
To the northwest, activity is also picking up, as Monitor Exploration and partners 88 Energy kick off a 200km 2D seismic acquisition campaign in PEL 93. ReconAfrica has a large tract adjacent to PEL 73 in Botswana, and there is some discussion on an imminent Joint Venture partner for PEL73. Results are expected in October 2024, although the operator is sure to stay fully engaged with the industry as interim drilling targets are reached.
