Oranto Petroleum has set the survey window for its planned seismic operations in Namibia’s Walvis Basin, scheduled to take place between December 2025 and March 2026.
The company has lodged an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a 2D and 3D seismic programme in Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 106, covering Blocks 2011B and 2111A in deep offshore waters.
Each campaign is expected to run for about 70 days, with the possibility of multiple phases depending on the results and operational conditions.
The December-to-March window has been selected to coincide with favourable offshore weather conditions and calmer seas, which improve survey efficiency and data quality.
Oranto has confirmed that work will only proceed once an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) has been granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
PEL 106 lies in a frontier section of the Walvis Basin, with water depths ranging from about 1,000 metres to over 3,000 metres.
The licence area extends from the continental shelf edge into ultra-deep waters, providing access to geological targets that remain under-explored despite more than five decades of offshore activity in Namibia.
The survey aims to acquire detailed subsurface images that can refine geological mapping and identify potential hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Oranto has outlined that the project will commence with 2D reconnaissance surveys, followed by high-resolution 3D seismic coverage in areas of interest.
The proposed survey overlaps with some of Namibia’s most biologically and ecologically sensitive marine environments.
More than 90 per cent of PEL 106 falls within the Walvis Bay Ridge Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA), designated under international marine conservation frameworks.
The region also lies within the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME), one of the world’s most productive ocean systems.
It sustains key fisheries and serves as a migratory corridor for marine megafauna. According to the EIA, the seismic footprint overlaps with deep-sea crab fishing grounds and intersects the migratory paths of several whale species, including Blue Whales, Sei Whales, and False Killer Whales.
Other marine fauna, such as dolphins, turtles, and pelagic fish, are also present in the area.
This heightened ecological sensitivity has underscored the need for mitigation, monitoring, and compliance measures.
The EIA proposes several safeguards to reduce the potential impact of seismic airgun activity on marine life. These include a 500-metre exclusion zone around seismic vessels, within which no marine mammals are permitted to be present when operations commence.
Gradual start-up or “soft start” procedures will give marine life time to move away before complete sound levels are reached.
Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) and passive acoustic monitoring systems will be deployed on vessels to detect cetaceans and trigger operational pauses when necessary. Noise attenuation measures and continuous environmental monitoring will also be implemented to ensure compliance with regulations.
The EIA concludes that, if mitigation measures are strictly implemented, the potential environmental impacts of the survey are moderate in the short term and low in the long term.
The project is subject to Namibia’s Environmental Management Act of 2007 and the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act. Public consultations were held as part of the EIA process, coordinated by Risk-Based Solutions (RBS) CC, an environmental consultancy led by Dr. Sindila Mwiya.
Consultations involved stakeholder meetings with representatives from the fishing industry, environmental groups, local authorities, and community members.
Key issues raised included the potential disruption of fisheries, cumulative impacts on marine biodiversity, and the enforcement of mitigation commitments.
The final EIA report, submitted in July 2025, integrates these concerns and proposes ongoing communication channels with stakeholders throughout the survey.
Although seismic surveys have been carried out in Namibia since 1968, the deep-water basins remain relatively underexplored. The Walvis Basin, in particular, has lagged behind the Orange Basin to the south, where recent discoveries have transformed Namibia’s oil and gas outlook.
Significant finds include TotalEnergies’ Venus-1 discovery, Shell’s Graff-1 well, and subsequent Mopane discoveries by Galp Energia.
These have positioned Namibia as one of the most exciting new hydrocarbon frontiers in the world. While most of this activity has been concentrated in the Orange Basin, companies such as Oranto are now turning attention northwards to assess the potential of the Walvis Basin.
If successful, Oranto’s seismic survey could generate new exploration leads, attract additional investment, and position the Walvis Basin alongside the Orange Basin in Namibia’s offshore story.
Oranto Petroleum Limited is part of the Atlas Oranto Petroleum Group, Africa’s largest privately owned exploration company.
Founded in 1991 by Prince Arthur Eze, a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, the group is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, and operates across more than a dozen countries in Africa.
Its portfolio includes assets in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and Namibia, with a focus on frontier and emerging basins.
Atlas Oranto’s strategy has been to acquire acreage early, conduct seismic and geological studies, and farm out or partner with larger companies during the drilling phases.
In Namibia, PEL 106 is Oranto’s principal licence. By advancing this seismic programme, the company signals its intent to remain an active participant in Namibia’s petroleum sector at a time when the country is gaining global attention for its offshore discoveries.
The December 2025 to March 2026 survey window provides Oranto with a clear timeline to begin operations, subject to regulatory approval.
With a planned duration of 70 days per campaign, the survey is expected to deliver critical geological insights into one of Namibia’s least understood offshore basins.
If data from PEL 106 confirms viable prospects, it could pave the way for future drilling campaigns and extend the wave of offshore exploration success that has already drawn international attention to Namibia.
