ReconAfrica will test six separate hydrocarbon-bearing zones at its Kavango West 1X discovery in Namibia over the coming weeks as the company seeks to determine whether oil and gas trapped in the Damara Fold Belt can flow to the surface commercially.
The Canadian-listed company said the production testing programme has been designed around six optimised intervals across the Huttenburg and Elandshoek formations, covering a combined 420 metres of hydrocarbon-bearing rock.
Three of the zones are located within the lower Elandshoek formation, while the remaining three are in the shallower Huttenburg formation.
ReconAfrica said each zone test could last up to 10 days, with the programme intended to measure hydrocarbon phase and deliverability from the fractured carbonate reservoirs.
Within the Huttenburg formation, the company plans to test 75 metres of net hydrocarbon pay located within a 400-metre gross interval of fractured carbonate reservoir rock.
The deeper Elandshoek formation contains 560 metres of hydrocarbon-saturated section, including 81 metres that showed hydrocarbon fluorescence and oil shows during drilling.
ReconAfrica also previously reported oil sheen and oil bubbles at the surface in the mud pits, strengthening indications that hydrocarbons had migrated through the system.
The company said production testing operations began after a cement bond log, completed before the end of May, confirmed the well casing’s integrity and showed that no additional cement work would be required before testing.
Downhole perforation work is now underway, carried out by oilfield service companies SLB and Halliburton after specialised perforation equipment arrived at the drill site.
The perforation process involves creating openings through the steel casing and cement into the hydrocarbon-bearing formations, allowing oil or gas to flow from the reservoir into the wellbore during testing.
ReconAfrica said that any gas or liquids that flow to the surface during the tests will be flared as part of the evaluation programme.
The company expects production testing results to be released by late July 2026.
President and chief executive officer Brian Reinsborough described the programme as a critical stage in evaluating the commercial potential of the Kavango discovery.
“This test is a pivotal point in unlocking the commerciality of the Damara Fold Belt and has been designed to test for hydrocarbon phase and deliverability,” Reinsborough said.
If the testing programme proves successful, the Kavango West 1X well could later be converted into a future producing well.
ReconAfrica also confirmed that preparations are underway for the Kavango West 2A appraisal well, which the company plans to spud before the end of the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
