French energy behemoth TotalEnergies is intensifying its multi-well appraisal and exploration drilling campaign in Namibia by employing two rigs. This initiative follows the Venus light oil discovery in Block 2913B (PEL 56) within the Orange Basin, offshore southern Namibia.

Namibia is emerging as a sought-after exploration hub after TotalEnergies' Venus-1 and Shell's Graff-1, La Rona-1, and Jonker-1 oil breakthroughs, substantiating a functional light oil system in Namibia's offshore region. This success has spurred not only these oil giants but also other industry players to intensify drilling activities in the area.

TotalEnergies' ultra-deepwater Venus-1X exploration well, initiated in early December 2021, employed the Maersk Voyager drillship. Situated in the Orange Basin about 290 kilometers off the coast of southern Namibia, the Venus discovery encompasses a light oil and associated gas field, residing in a water depth of roughly 3,000 meters.

With Block 2913B covering around 8,215 km² off Namibia, the well reached a total depth of 6,296 meters, encountering a high-quality light oil-bearing sandstone reservoir from the Lower Cretaceous era. TotalEnergies operates with a 40% working interest, alongside QatarEnergy (30%), Africa Oil’s Impact Oil and Gas (20%), and Namibia’s NAMCOR (10%).

Before February 2023's close, TotalEnergies had charted a multi-well drilling campaign in Namibia, aiming for up to four wells. The program entails re-entering the Venus-1X discovery well in Block 2913B for Venus appraisal and exploring the westerly extension potential of Venus via the Nara prospect, previously known as West Venus, in Block 2912.

As part of these endeavors, Vantage Drilling's Tungsten Explorer drillship successfully drilled and concluded the Venus-1A appraisal well in Block 2913B during Q2 2023. Approximately 13 km north of the Venus-1X discovery well, Venus-1A is now geared for its drill stem testing (DST) program.

Deepsea Mira semi-submersible rig, managed by Odfjell Drilling, is conducting DST operations on Venus-1X, including side-track drilling. Furthermore, Tungsten Explorer drillship, within the same timeframe, transitioned to Nara-1X exploration well's location in Block 2912, about 30 km northwest of Venus-1X. If a discovery ensues, a DST is on the agenda, accompanied by a contingent appraisal well, pending Nara-1X's successful operations.

Africa Oil emphasizes that the planned DSTs on all wells will furnish vital data for dynamic reservoir performance and potential flow rates. Yet, while crucial, the current data does not guarantee an economically viable project.

Africa Oil’s Impact, through subsidiary Impact Oil and Gas Namibia, possesses an 18.89% working interest in adjacent Block 2912 (PEL 91), where TotalEnergies (37.78% interest), QatarEnergy (28.33%), and NAMCOR (15%) are also partners.