QatarEnergy Announces Light Oil Discovery at Merlin-1X Well in Namibia’s Orange Basin
QatarEnergy has announced a new offshore oil discovery in Namibia’s Orange Basin following the successful drilling of the Merlin-1X exploration well in Petroleum Exploration Licence 39 (PEL 39), further reinforcing the country’s status as one of the world’s most promising emerging hydrocarbon provinces.
The Merlin-1X well encountered a significant oil-bearing reservoir, with preliminary geological analysis confirming the presence of high-quality light crude oil and excellent reservoir characteristics.
The discovery adds to a growing series of successful exploration results in Namibia’s offshore Orange Basin, where international energy companies have recorded multiple commercial hydrocarbon finds in recent years.
QatarEnergy President and Chief Executive Officer Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi welcomed the latest discovery, describing it as another important milestone for the company’s expanding exploration portfolio in Namibia following three previous discoveries in the country.
Shell, the operator of PEL 39, also confirmed positive drilling results from the Merlin-1X well, which was spudded on 8 April 2026.
The well successfully appraised the Coniacian reservoir interval, delivering the strongest reservoir results recorded in the licence area to date.
According to the partners, the well encountered high-quality reservoir sands containing light oil with relatively low volumes of associated gas compared with earlier discoveries in the block.
QatarEnergy continues to strengthen its presence offshore Namibia through interests in four exploration licences.
In addition to its stakes in PEL 56, PEL 90 and PEL 91, the company holds a 45% working interest in PEL 39, which covers approximately 34,000 square kilometres offshore.
The discovery underscores the growing exploration success of Namibia’s Orange Basin, where a string of major offshore finds has attracted significant investment from global energy companies and positioned the country as one of Africa’s most closely watched frontier oil and gas markets.
