Portuguese oil and gas company Galp has secured an extension for an exploration licence located offshore Namibia close to Shell's Graff and TotalEnergies' Venus discoveries. This will allow it to drill an exploration well there next year.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy in Namibia has approved an extension to the First Renewal Exploration Period for Petroleum Exploration License 83 (PEL 83), providing for an increase to the related work programme, which will support the drilling of an exploration well currently expected in 2023. This was revealed on Tuesday by Galp's partner in the licence, Canada-based Sintana Energy.

Sintana, through its indirect investment in Custos Energy, maintains a 4.9 per cent carried interest in the blocks 2813A and 2814B which are operated through PEL 83. Sintana also owns indirect interests in the adjacent blocks operated through PEL 90 and PEL 87.

Sintana claims that PEL 83 represents one of the most exciting exploration opportunities in the Orange Basin, sitting directly above Block 2913A where Shell made its Graff-1 light oil discovery, and directly to the west of the Kudu gas field currently being developed by BW Energy.

PEL 83 is also contiguous to Block 2913B where TotalEnergies made its Venus-1 discovery. Both Shell and TotalEnergies have initiated further activity on their respective blocks off Namibia.

“Custos acquired its interest in PEL 83 in 2016. It is fantastic to see the activity and interest catch up around us. We expect significant discoveries will continue to be made, on our blocks and on those around us,” said Knowledge Katti, founder of Custos Energy and a Director of Sintana.

Robert Bose, President & Director of Sintanam stated: “Our entry into Namibia was timely. We believe that continuing investment in the Orange Basin, including the drilling of an exploration well on PEL 83, will further substantiate Namibia's emergence as the world's next great hydrocarbon province.”

Galp conducted a 3D seismic campaign in the PEL83, comprising an area of around 3,000 km2 in Namibia's deepwater offshore in early 2019.