ReconAfrica CEO Brian Reinsborough says the company has “come a long way” in its Namibian exploration campaign, as new data from the Kavango West-1X well indicates multiple hydrocarbon-bearing zones and what he describes as a promising step forward in opening up the onshore Kavango Basin.
Speaking during a company briefing, Reinsborough highlighted the scale of structural prospects already mapped on ReconAfrica’s acreage.
“We’ve mapped almost 20 structures on our concession, just where we have seismic data. And these are very large structures.
The Kavango structure for itself, for example, is almost 20 kilometres long and five kilometres wide,” he said, adding that the latest well provides insight into the basin’s potential.
“To get this amount of hydrocarbons in a wellbore really tells us a lot about the promise of this play.”
Reinsborough confirmed that drilling at Kavango West-1X reached total depth recently, followed by extensive logging.
The company reports 64 metres of hydrocarbon pay over a 400-metre interval, and a second deeper zone showing 61 metres of hydrocarbon indications.
“That’s a lot of pay and shows in one wellbore,” he noted, describing the results as significant and the company’s most encouraging data point in Namibia to date.
The results have allowed the company to move to a success-case evaluation and proceed toward production testing. Reinsborough said the first production test is expected in the first quarter of 2026.
ReconAfrica completed drilling operations at Kavango West-1X on 29 November, after reaching a total depth of 4,200 metres and conducting a complete wireline-logging programme.
Wireline data indicates ~85 metres of net reservoir, including 64 metres of net hydrocarbon pay across a gross 400-metre section containing multiple limestone reservoir units. An additional 61 metres of hydrocarbon shows were identified in deeper intervals with interpreted natural fractures, which could enhance reservoir deliverability.
The well has been temporarily abandoned and will be re-entered once testing equipment arrives, with mud and gas samples to be sent to the United States for analysis. No core samples were taken.
With logging completed, ReconAfrica plans to move into production testing.
According to Reinsborough, the process is expected to take two to three months to design and execute.
Testing will be run in a 5-inch casing using tubing-conveyed perforating (TCP) to selectively target zones of interest — the 64 metres of confirmed hydrocarbon pay and the additional 61 metres of deeper hydrocarbon shows.
“What we want to achieve from that is to see how much these reservoirs can deliver — in terms of rate, but also in terms of hydrocarbon phase, oil, gas, or some mixture in between,” he explained.
He added that this will be the first production test of its kind ever conducted onshore in Namibia.
The test programme is expected to run for approximately one month.
ReconAfrica is the operator of PEL 73, with a 70 per cent working interest, alongside BW Energy (20 per cent) and NAMCOR (10 per cent carried interest).
Reflecting on the two-year exploration build-up, Reinsborough credited his team for advancing the programme across what he called a technically demanding frontier play.
“We work hard to get here as well,” he said, noting that the well result brings “a sense of validation.” However, appraisal, analysis and further evaluation drilling will be required to determine commerciality.
ReconAfrica has also filed its financial statements and MD&A for the period ending 30 September 2025.
The company says it remains committed to minimal habitat disturbance and international-standard environmental and social practices across its operations.
Reinsborough added that the broader Damara Fold Belt play could support significant future work across a prominent onshore acreage position spanning Namibia, Angola and Botswana.
“We have a ton of acreage in Namibia and another six million acres on the other side of Angola,” he said. “The running room here is really remarkable.”
ReconAfrica’s drilling history in the Kavango Basin now includes several exploration and stratigraphic wells dating back to 2021.
The company’s first well, 6-2 (Kawe), was drilled in early 2021 as the maiden stratigraphic test; it was followed later that year by 6-1 (Mbambi), the second stratigraphic well.
In late 2022, ReconAfrica drilled 8-2 (Makandina), the third well and the first probe guided by seismic data; it did not return commercial hydrocarbons according to industry reporting.
In 2024, the company drilled the Naingopo well, reaching total depth in November of that year and moving into post-drill evaluation.
The most recent well, Kavango West 1X, was drilled in 2025 to a total depth of 4,200 metres and announced as having intersected hydrocarbon pay in the Otavi carbonate section.
