Sintana Energy Inc. says Galp and its partners Namcor and Custos have encountered a significant column of light oil in high-quality reservoirs on Mopane-2X on PEL 83 in the Orange Basin.
PEL 83 is located immediately north of PEL 39, home to Shell’s basin-opening discoveries at Graff-1, La Rona-1, and Jonker-1.
Additionally, it is located north and east of PEL 56, where TotalEnergies announced its giant oil discovery at Venus-1.
Sintana maintains an indirect 49% interest in Custos Energy (Pty) Ltd. Galp operates the PEL with an 80% interest, while Namcor and Custos each hold a 10% working interest.
A statement issued by Sintana on Thursday said the partners successfully drilled the Mopane-2X well to its designated depth.
“The AVO-3 exploration target, the AVO-1 appraisal target, and a deeper target were fully cored and logged,” Sintana said.
The company added that the AVO-1 appraisal target found the same pressure regime as in the Mopane-1X discovery well located approximately 8 km to the east, confirming its lateral extension.
“Galp will continue to analyze the acquired data during the coming weeks to assess the commerciality of the discoveries,” Sintana said.
The rig will return to the Mopane-1X well location to conduct a drill stem test until early April.
Petroleum Commissioner Maggy Shino said the announcement of another significant discovery and the appraisal success at the upper target is a further testament to the hard work and dedication of the partners involved and another demonstration of the potential for further growth in our oil industry.
“With this discovery, we are one step closer to harnessing the full potential of this campaign,” said Shino, adding: “We are proud to have achieved this milestone.”
Custos, chairperson and CEO, Knowledge Katti, said the continuing success of the exploration campaign further demonstrates the scope and potential of PEL 83.
“This is another significant milestone for Custos, positioning us for further growth and continued success, underpinned by our unmatched position in the heart of the basin,” he said.
Sintana CEO Robert Bose said this third light oil discovery in the Mopane complex and the appraisal results at the AVO-1 reservoir, 8 km away from the 1X location, provide further evidence of the scale and quality of our exploration portfolio held through our local partners, including Custos.
“With the ongoing progress and success, we continue to be reminded of the timeliness of our entry into Namibia,” Bose said.
