Portuguese multinational energy corporation Galp – alongside project partners the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) and energy company Custos – has announced the discovery of light oil at the Mopane-1X well in Namibia.
Located in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 83 in the Orange Basin, the discovery is the sixth in the country since 2022.
According to Galp, drilling operations revealed a column of light oil in high quality reservoir-bearing sands.
The project partners will now assess the commercial viability of the discovery, with preparations to perform a Drill Stem Test in the coming weeks underway.
“The preliminary results of the initial exploration campaign on PEL 83 demonstrate the expanding scope and potential of Namibia’s Orange Basin,” stated Knowledge Katti, Chairman and CEO of Custos.
The drill rig will continue to explore deeper targets of the Mopane-1X well before relocating to the Mopane-2X well site. This will enable the partners to understand the full scope of the discovery.
In a statement, NAMCOR stated that the discovery “…marks a momentous step in the Namibian oil and gas journey,” adding that “It’s not just an achievement for us but a beacon of hope for Namibia’s economic future.”