In a groundbreaking development for Namibia’s emerging oil industry, BW Energy has confirmed the first-ever discovery of liquid hydrocarbons in the Kudu license block offshore Namibia, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s petroleum exploration history.
The Norwegian energy company completed drilling operations on the Kharas-1 appraisal well on November 19, 2025, reaching a total depth of 5,100 meters and intersecting multiple reservoir intervals. The well, drilled using the Odfjell Drilling-managed Deepsea Mira rig, encountered several shallow turbidite reservoirs with dry-gas shows in its upper sections, with reservoir properties and whole-core data currently under evaluation.
However, the most significant discovery came from the deeper section of the well, where hydrocarbons were found in a fractured volcaniclastic reservoir. This finding confirms a working petroleum system containing condensate and light oil, representing the first confirmation of liquid hydrocarbons within the Kudu block.
“Kharas-1 achieved its technical objective of testing multiple targets within a single penetration and delivered valuable geological, geochemical and petrophysical data,” said Carl Arnet, CEO of BW Energy. “The results also confirm, for the first time, the presence of liquid hydrocarbons within the Kudu block and contribute to our understanding of the broader petroleum system.”
The company acknowledged that the reservoir complexity necessitates further appraisal to properly assess its potential. BW Energy’s forward program will concentrate on high-value targets based on the presence of liquid hydrocarbons as well as gas, incorporating lessons learned from the Kharas-1 well. The well will now be plugged and abandoned according to the original plan.
BW Energy operates the Kudu license (PPL003) with a 95 percent working interest, while NAMCOR E&P, a subsidiary of Namibia’s national oil company, holds the remaining 5 percent carried interest. Further analysis is ongoing to determine the extent of the petroleum system and to characterize reservoir properties and appraisal options.
Sources: worldoil.com, offshore-energy.biz, energy-pedia.com, namibiaoilandgas.com