Monitor Exploration has welcomed ReconAfrica’s recent announcement confirming hydrocarbon-bearing intervals in the Kavango West-1X well in PEL 73, viewing the result as a material development for Namibia’s emerging onshore petroleum sector.
For Monitor, the outcome increases confidence that the petroleum system underlying northern Namibia is active and functioning, with implications that extend westward into its own acreage at PEL 93 in the Owambo Basin.
Monitor Exploration operates PEL 93 in the western portion of the Owambo Basin, where exploration work has been progressing over a multi-year period.
Technical work completed to date includes basin modelling, gravity interpretation, stratigraphic analysis, legacy seismic integration, structural mapping and the identification of multiple leads.
Eleven prospects have been defined in the Otavi carbonate and Mulden clastic targets, with Lead 9 regarded as one of the most developed structural closures.
Early reconnaissance work included field sampling, fracture studies and analysis of historic well and seismic information, forming the basis of the present interpretation.
PEL 93 covers an area of 18,500 km² (7,227 mi²) onshore Namibia.
The licence is held under a petroleum agreement comprising an initial four-year exploration phase, followed by a two-year first renewal period and a further two-year second renewal option.
Interests in the licence are allocated as 55% Monitor Exploration, 20% 88 Energy, 15% a local partner and 10% Namcor.
The licence is currently in its First Renewal Exploration Period, which remains valid until October 2026.
During 2025, the joint venture advanced PEL 93 through a structured work programme intended to de-risk drilling. In July, Monitor secured a licence extension agreement, which prolonged the exploration period to October 2026.
Shortly after, the JV launched Stage 1A of the exploration programme valued at up to US$1 million.
This programme includes a high-resolution airborne magnetic, radiometric, and scalar-gravity survey, a prospective resource assessment, and the screening of drilling locations.
In November, Monitor awarded the airborne acquisition contract to Xcalibur Multiphysics, with mobilisation scheduled for January 2026.
Regulatory processes and community engagement work were completed during the year, including updates to the Environmental Management Plan and Environmental Clearance Certificate.
The operator also strengthened its local corporate base through a capital injection and changes to its board, in preparation for its 2026 campaign.
These steps position the licence to advance into its first drilling decision once integrated datasets are available.
ReconAfrica’s recent announcement is relevant within this context.
The company confirmed approximately 400 metres of gross hydrocarbon-bearing section in Otavi carbonates in the Kavango West-1X well, including 64 metres of net pay supported by wireline logs and mud-gas anomalies.
An additional 61 metres of deeper hydrocarbon shows were reported, with natural fractures observed in sections that may enhance deliverability.
The well has been temporarily suspended pending production testing planned for Q1 2026.
These tests will assess the reservoir’s ability to flow hydrocarbons at commercial rates and determine whether the resource is oil, gas, or a combination of the two.
While commerciality has not yet been established, the result remains significant because it confirms the presence of charge, reservoirs, and hydrocarbon saturation in the Otavi carbonate system.
The structure tested by ReconAfrica is a large anticlinal closure measuring approximately 20 km by 3 km.
This scale is relevant for Monitor, as PEL 93 contains several closures of comparable geometry based on existing geological interpretation.
The new dataset from Kavango West-1X does not guarantee similar outcomes to the west, but it does demonstrate that Otavi-hosted structures in northern Namibia can retain hydrocarbons.
If production testing produces favourable flow rates, it will provide additional validation for the regional play model, which is the same framework guiding Monitor’s exploration strategy.
Monitor’s immediate next milestone is the execution of the airborne survey.
The programme covers 6,000 line-kilometres and is expected to deliver final processed results in February 2026.
These datasets will then be merged with prior seismic, gravity and geological models to refine depth estimates, fault architecture and reservoir mapping within PEL 93.
Based on these outcomes, the joint venture intends to select a drilling location during the second half of 2026.
This timeline positions Monitor as one of the primary onshore explorers advancing toward drilling activity in Namibia outside of the Kalahari-Kavango trend.
The PEL 93 partnership remains held as Monitor Oil & Gas Exploration Namibia (55%), 88 Energy Limited (20%), Legend Oil Namibia (15%), and Namcor E&P (10%).
Progress during 2025 demonstrates incremental but steady technical advancement.
The ReconAfrica result does not resolve all uncertainties. Still, it represents the basin’s first modern well data, confirming the presence of hydrocarbons and providing new evidence supporting ongoing investment in the play.
Monitor now approaches a decisive phase.
ReconAfrica has delivered proof of hydrocarbon presence within Otavi carbonates.
Monitor’s data-acquisition programme and subsequent drilling decision will determine whether this petroleum system extends westward and whether the Owambo Basin could support Namibia’s subsequent onshore discovery.
