ReconAfrica says it expects to begin downhole production testing at the Kavango West 1X well in Namibia before the end of May 2026, in what the company described as the country’s first production test of its kind.
The company said operations are progressing together with partners NAMCOR and BW Energy, with equipment and services from both Namibian and international suppliers already arriving on site.
According to ReconAfrica, the production testing programme will target six optimised zones across 420 metres of hydrocarbon-bearing intervals.
The company said technical operations on site will be carried out by oilfield service companies SLB and Halliburton.
ReconAfrica said it will first conduct a cement bond log to confirm casing and cement integrity ahead of production testing, while a third-party service provider finalises a transport and storage permit required for downhole operations.
“ReconAfrica is committed to conducting all work in full alignment with Namibia’s laws, regulations and permitting requirements,” the company said.
The company expects perforating and production testing activities to begin before the end of May.
According to ReconAfrica, testing a single zone could take up to 10 days, while the full programme across all six zones is expected to take as long as 60 days.
The company said production test results are expected around mid-to-late July 2026.
ReconAfrica added that preparations are continuing for additional appraisal drilling on the Kavango discovery, with site selection and permitting processes currently underway.
The company holds petroleum licences across Namibia, Angola and Botswana covering about 13 million contiguous acres, in addition to offshore operations in Gabon.
