Special issue · Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas
Overview
Since Independence, Government policy in Namibia has sought to encourage exploration for commercial deposits of oil and gas both off and onshore. The new Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Office of the President headed by Kornelia Shilunga and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Mines and Energy through the Directorate of Petroleum Affairs (currently headed by Maggy Shino) oversee policy and regulation towards the sector whilst the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia, a commercial public enterprise under the Ministry of Industrialisation, Mines and Energy, formed out of the old pre-Independence Swakor, is the Namibian State’s active participant in it. The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act and the Petroleum (Taxation) Act became law as early as 1991 and with a few amendments continue to form the basis of Namibia’s policy and regulatory framework towards the sector.
The offshore Kudu gas field was discovered by Chevron in 1974 but was never exploited. After two successful licencing rounds in 1992 and 1995, Namibia moved to an open system of licencing following the failure of the third round in 1999. But it took until 2010, when the sustained high price of oil combined with improvements in offshore exploration and drilling technology, before Namibia succeeded in attracting more intensive international interest in its offshore blocks.
However, it was only in early 2022 that drilling by Shell (45%), Qatar Energy (45%) and Namcor (10%) as well as TotalEnergies (40%), Qatar Energy (30%), Impact Oil (20%) and Namcor (10%) yielded firm evidence of commercial quantities of light oil and gas deep offshore in the Orange Basin. These discoveries have given rise to considerable excitement and has the potential to turn Namibia into a top 15 oil producing country by the end of the decade. Details of Namcor’s involvement in the sector are contained in its annual reports while the Ministry provides public information on its website under publications about which companies are active in which blocks. A local content policy is being finalised for the oil and gas sector.
Public enterprises
- National Petroleum Corporation
- The National Petroleum Corporation (“Namcor”) was established as a (Pty) Limited company with the Government as sole shareholder but its mission of participating in upstream and downstream activities was laid down by the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act (Act No.2 of 1991). Namcor is classified as a commercial public enterprise. Namcor’s financial year runs from 1 April. Mr Immanuel Mulunga was suspended as MD on 3 April 2023. From 11 January 2024 Namcor’s interim MD was Mr Ebson Uanguta who was seconded from the Bank of Namibia. Mr Uanguta returned to the Bank of Namibia at the end of March 2025 to be replaced by interim MD Mrs Victoria Sibeya from 1 April. Subsequent to that it was announced that Ms Maureen Hinda-Mbuende would be interim MD from 25 August 2025 but she was replaced by Mtundeni Ndafyaalako from 1 March 2026.Read more about National Petroleum Corporation
Companies
Timeline
- Event date Apr 2026
- Merlin-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date Jul 2025
- Volans-1X (Rhino Resources, Azule Energy, Korres Investments, Namcor PEL85)
- Event date Feb 2025 – Apr 2025
- Capricornus-1X (Rhino Resources, Azule Energy, Korres Investments, Namcor PEL85)
- Event date Feb 2025
- Marula-1X (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor PEL56)
- Event date Jan 2025
- Kapana-1X (Chevron, Trago Energy, Namcor PEL90)
- Event date Jan 2025
- Mopane-3X (Galp, Custos, Namcor PEL83)
- Event date Dec 2024 – Feb 2025
- Sagittarius-1X (Rhino Resources, Azule Energy, Korres Investments, Namcor PEL85)
- Event date Dec 2024
- Mopane-2A (Galp, Custos, Namcor PEL83)
- Event date Oct 2024
- Tamboti-1X (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor PEL56)
- Event date Oct 2024
- Mopane-1A (Galp, Custos, Namcor PEL83)
- Event date Apr 2024
- Venus-2A (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor PEL56)
- Event date Apr 2024
- Enigma-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date Mar 2024
- Mopane-2X (Galp, Custos, Namcor PEL83)
- Event date Feb 2024
- Mangetti-1X (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor PEL56)
- Event date Dec 2023
- Venus-1A (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor PEL56)
- Event date Nov 2023
- Mopane-1X (Galp, Custos, Namcor PEL83)
- Event date Nov 2023
- Jonker-2A (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date 31 Aug 2023
- Cullinan-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date 11 Jul 2023
- Lesedi-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date Jun 2023
- Nara-1X (TotalEnerties, Qatar, Impact, Namcor 2912 PEL91)
- Event date 3 Mar 2023
- Jonker-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date Feb 2023
- Jonker-1A (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date Feb 2023
- Graff-1A (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date 22 Apr 2022
- La Rona-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date 24 Feb 2022
- Venus-1X (TotalEnergies, Qatar, Impact, Namcor 2913B PEL56)
- Event date 25 Jan 2022
- Graff-1X (Shell, Qatar, Namcor 2913A PEL39)
- Event date 2018
- Cormorant-1 (Tullow)
- Event date 2014
- Welwitschia 1 (Repsol)
- Event date 2013
- Wingat-1 (HRT)
- Event date 2013
- Murombe-1 (HRT)
- Event date 2013
- Moosehead-1 (HRT)
- Event date 2012
- Kabeljou-1 (Chariot)
- Event date 2012
- Tapir 1 (Chariot)
- Event date 2008
- Kunene 1 (Sintezneftegaz)
- Event date 2007
- Kudu 8 (Tullow)
- Event date 1998
- 2513/8-1 (Norsk Hydro)
- Event date 1998
- 2313/5-1 (Shell)
- Event date 1996
- 2812/15-1 (Chevron)
- Event date 1996 – 2002
- Kudu 4, 5, 6 & 7 (Shell)
- Event date 1995
- 2213/6-1 (Ranger)
- Event date 1995
- 2012/13-1 (Sasol)
- Event date 1995
- 1911/15-1 (Norsk Hydro)
- Event date 1993
- 1911/10-1 (Norsk Hydro)
- Event date 1988
- Kudu 3 (Swakor)
- Event date 1987
- Kudu 2 (Swakor)
- Event date 1974
- Kudu 1-A (Chevron)
In collaboration with Robin Sherbourne.