Namibia’s long-awaited Venus oil development is taking shape, with up to 40 subsea wells planned under a proposal detailed in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report released on 3 November 2025.
The report, prepared by SLR Environmental Consulting Namibia for TotalEnergies EP Namibia (TEEPNA) and its joint venture partners Impact Oil and Gas, NAMCOR, and Qatar Energy, marks a significant step toward transforming the 2022 discovery into the country’s first deepwater production field.
According to the report, the project will include 20 oil production wells and 20 gas injection wells, drilled 300 kilometres offshore from Oranjemund in water depths of about 3,000 metres.
Extracted hydrocarbons will be processed on a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which will separate oil, gas, and water before the oil is transferred to shuttle tankers for export via a nearshore transhipment zone, 20 kilometres north of Walvis Bay.
The ESIA outlines that Venus could produce for at least 21 years, with a possible extension of a decade depending on reservoir performance. Gas will largely be reinjected into the reservoir to maintain pressure, while a portion will power the FPSO.
Support operations, including logistics, port services, and aviation, will be coordinated from Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, creating new employment and infrastructure opportunities in Namibia’s coastal regions.
Environmental studies within the ESIA indicate that the project area lies within the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, a biologically productive zone that supports rich fisheries and marine life.
However, the site sits mostly outside marine protected areas, with only limited overlap with low-intensity pelagic longline fisheries and ecological support zones.
The 21-year development plan also includes a decommissioning phase, during which the FPSO will be disconnected, subsea equipment will be dismantled or safely abandoned, and the area will be rehabilitated in accordance with international standards.
Public participation on the draft ESIA is open until 3 December 2025, with submissions invited via SLR’s registration portal or email at ESIAVenusOffshoreDev@udanam.com.
