Drilling results offshore Namibia ‘encouraging’ but further appraisal still needed

October 31, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Oslo-listed oil and gas E&P player BW Energy has shed light on the preliminary results of its appraisal well in the Orange Basin off the coast of Namibia, where the well was drilled using a rig owned by Northern Ocean and managed by Odfjell Drilling.

Deepsea Mira rig; Source: Odjell Drilling

After Northern Ocean’s Deepsea Mira began drilling the Kharas-1 appraisal well in the Kudu license offshore Namibia in September 2025, the Oslo-listed firm confirmed that the well reached total drilling depth with multiple formations present across the license.

BW Energy is the operator of the Kudu license with a 95% working interest, while the remaining 5% is held by NAMCOR E&P, a subsidiary of Namibia’s national oil company. The drilling activities were conducted with the Deepsea Mira rig.

The 2018-built sixth-generation semi-submersible drilling rig, which is based on Moss Maritime CS60E design, is fit for drilling assignments in benign and harsh environments at water depths of up to 3,000 meters. Located in petroleum production license 003 (PPL003), the appraisal well was strategically designed to intersect several targets within a single borehole.

The company explained: “While this approach did not allow for individual optimisation of each formation, it provided valuable geological data across the broader petroleum system.

“Preliminary results are encouraging. Several intervals show indications of hydrocarbon presence and reservoir potential, suggesting a working petroleum system at Kharas.”

Semi-sub rig gets to work with BW Energy off Namibia

Exploration & Production

According to BW Energy, early analysis indicates that the K1 interval may contain hydrocarbons wetter than dry gas. A hydrocarbon migration front has been observed, and wireline operations are underway to assess reservoir quality, fluid type, and pressure characteristics.

The firm has highlighted that a follow-up appraisal campaign will be required to evaluate the individual targets in greater detail. As a result, the outcome of the wireline program is expected to guide decisions on the next well location and the future appraisal strategy.