ReconAfrica says with all equipment on the Kavango-1X well site, drilling is expected to reach a total depth (TD) approximately 3,800 metres in the second half of November, after drilling through approximately 1,500 metres of potential reservoir rock.
Once TD is achieved, a comprehensive logging programme will be conducted to evaluate the reservoir’s properties, with results anticipated around year-end.
The company confirmed that drilling has resumed at the Kavango West 1X exploration well, located in Namibia’s Damara Fold Belt, following a brief delay caused by the delivery of casing.
The well has now advanced into the Otavi carbonate reservoir section — the primary target of the campaign’s exploration.
ReconAfrica President and CEO Brian Reinsborough stated that the operation remains on schedule and commended the team for its efficiency.
“Drilling of the Kavango West 1X well is proceeding on schedule, and I wish to thank our entire operations team for doing a great job executing our drilling plan,” he said.
He added that the well has already reached a depth of approximately 2,300 metres, with the final casing string set just above the reservoir zone.
“We are now drilling ahead into the Otavi carbonate reservoir, the main target in the Damara Fold Belt, and we plan to evaluate an extensive section of this potential reservoir.”
The Kavango West 1X well is testing a large structural closure within the Otavi section measuring nearly 20 kilometres in length and three kilometres in width — one of the most significant features identified in the region.
Drilling operations advanced of schedule in the upper sections of the well, prompting a temporary pause as the company awaited the delivery of the final casing strings. With operations now fully resumed, ReconAfrica confirmed that drilling remains aligned with the original timeline.
The company noted that communications on drilling progress would now be limited under “tight hole” status, meaning that no interim results or formation details would be disclosed until logging is completed. ReconAfrica emphasised that this confidentiality policy should not be interpreted as either positive or negative.
Once the well reaches total depth and the logging programme is complete, the company plans to release detailed findings before the end of the year.
ReconAfrica, a Canadian oil and gas company, is engaged in the exploration of the Damara Fold Belt and the Kavango Rift Basin, covering approximately 13 million contiguous acres across northeastern Namibia, southeastern Angola, and northwestern Botswana. It also operates the Ngulu Block offshore Gabon.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to minimal environmental disturbance and adherence to international best practices in social and ecological management.
With the Kavango West 1X well now drilling into the Otavi reservoir, the industry’s attention is focused on whether this phase will unlock new insights into Namibia’s emerging hydrocarbon potential in one of its most promising frontier basins.
