Namibia's Mopane Offshore Oil Discovery Estimated at 10 Billion Barrels

Galp Energia, holding an 80% stake, together with Namibia's state oil company NAMCOR and Custos (each 10%), has drilled the Mopane offshore complex in the PEL83 license of the Orange Basin, about 200 km off Namibia's coast. The first well, Mopane‑1X, was drilled to a depth of over 3,100 m below the seabed (approximately 5 km from sea level) and the second, Mopane‑2X, to about 2,700 m, both encountering light, high‑quality oil in multiple sand layers.

Initial flow tests at Mopane‑1X reached the permitted limit of roughly 14,000 barrels per day (about 1,900 tonnes). Technical data show high porosity and permeability, strong reservoir pressure, low CO₂ content and no H₂S, factors that could lower extraction costs. The consortium estimates the Mopane system contains at least 10 billion barrels of oil in place, equivalent to about 1.36 billion tonnes, indicating significant commercial potential.