Shell makes third oil discovery offshore Namibia

Shell and partners discovered light oil in deep-water offshore Namibia. Further appraisal activities with dynamic data gathering are required to characterize the variability of rock properties and to determine the size and recoverable potential of the discovery.

The company began drilling operations on the Jonker-1X in December 2022. The exploration well lies 270 km offshore Namibia in the PEL 0039 license and was drilled to 6,168 m total depth in 2,210 m water depth. Drilling operations established the presence of a reservoir with light oil.

“We are encouraged by a further deep-water discovery, our third in Namibia, and pleased to confirm the safe conclusion of the well,” said Dennis Zekveld, Shell’s country chair in Namibia.

The Deepsea Bollsta semi-submersible drilling rig will remain in the license to drill further wells as part of the joint venture’s ongoing exploration and appraisal campaign, Shell said in a release Mar. 6.

Shell is operator of PEL 0039 with 45% working interest. Partners are QatarEnergy (45%) and the National Petroleum Corp. of Namibia (NAMCOR) (10%). PEL 0039 covers about 12,000 sq km in deep water, 250 km off the southern coast of Namibia.

The discovery follows those of Shell and partners in the Graff-1 deep-water exploration well and the La Rona-1 (OGJ Online, Feb. 4, 2022).