Namibia richer for gas condensate discovery as ‘high liquid-yield’ comes to light

October 1, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

African energy exploration player Rhino Resources has made a gas condensate discovery off the coast of Namibia, thanks to drilling activities undertaken with a semi-submersible rig, owned by Northern Ocean (NOL) and managed by Odfjell Drilling.

Deepsea Mira rig; Source: Odjell Drilling

Following the beginning of drilling operations at the end of July 2025 at the Volans-1X exploration well in production exploration license (PEL) 85, Rhino Resources reached a total of 4,497.5 meters true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS) on August 30, 2025, using the Northern Ocean’s Deepsea Mira rig to penetrate the Upper Cretaceous target.

Odfjell-managed rig swings into action for wildcat offshore Namibia

Exploration & Production

Travis Smithard, Rhino’s Chief Executive Officer, underlined: “Rhino, on behalf of the PEL85 JV, are delighted to announce the discovery of a high liquid-yield gas condensate in excellent quality reservoir at the Volans-1X well. This is our third consecutive hydrocarbon discovery on the Block and further enhances our understanding of the sub-surface.”

The company’s drilling campaign on Block 2914A in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia has now led to a discovery of 26 meters of net pay in rich-gas condensate-bearing reservoirs, said to show excellent quality petrophysical properties with no observed water contact.

According to the African player, a hot shot laboratory analysis on two samples at the top and base of the reservoir interval showed a high condensate to gas ratio (CGR) of more than 140 and a liquid density of around 40° API gravity.

While the rig was demobilized on September 14, 2025, to start drilling at another location, Volans-1X laboratory testing activities will remain ongoing. Rhino confirms that hydrocarbon samples and sidewall cores were collected through intensive wireline logging operations.

The company claims that laboratory studies will continue to be conducted on the fluid samples, side wall cores, and cuttings collected during the campaign. PEL85 is operated by Rhino with a working interest of 42.5%, together with co-venturers: Azule Energy (42.5%), NAMCOR (10%), and Korres Investments (5%).

Smithard emphasized: “This well result opens up an exciting new play fairway within the licence, identifying different reservoir and fluid type in this well from the recent discoveries made at Sagittarius-1X and Capricornus-1X.

“Rhino, in collaboration with our partners Azule Energy, NAMCOR and Korres will now evaluate the results of the ongoing testing and integrate them into blockwide prospectivity studies.”