Galp spuds high-prospect well in Namibia

WINDHOEK, November 21, 2023 – Portuguese energy player Galp Energia has begun drilling an exploration well at the offshore PEL 83 block in Namibia, Upstream Online reported on Monday.

The Mopane-1X well is being drilled by the Hercules semi-submersible rig.

In May 2023, Galp Energia signed a contract with Bermuda-based vessel and chartering company SFL Corporation for the use of the rig for its two-well drilling campaign on the PEL-83 block.

The rig arrived in October 2023.

Galp Energy operates the 10,000-square-kilometre PEL-83 block located in the Orange Basin in Namibia near the border with South Africa.

The well is west of the existing Kudu gas project on the PPL 003 block where gas was first discovered in 1974.

The operator holds an 80% stake in the PEL-83 concession, along with Namibia’s NOC Namcor with a 10% stake and local independent Custos Energy with the remaining 10% stake.

In 2023, a Shell-led consortium hit pay on the Jonker-1X well and the Graff-1x well on the PEL-39 concession on the Orange Basin.

In February 2023, a separate consortium led by TotalEnergies made a significant light oil discovery at the Venus-1x well in the PEL-56 concession on the same basin.

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