Shell and its partners, QatarEnergy and NAMCOR, have reported what they describe as the most promising exploration results to date from Petroleum Exploration Licence 39 (PEL 39) offshore Namibia.
The Merlin-1X exploration well, drilled in April this year, encountered light oil and demonstrated improved reservoir quality compared with previous wells drilled within the licence area, according to Shell.
The well was spudded on 8 April 2026 and is the tenth exploration well drilled in PEL 39, which is operated by Shell.
According to the company, the well successfully penetrated the Coniacian play and delivered the strongest subsurface results recorded so far within the block.
The results are expected to play a key role in determining the commercial viability of the licence area, where Shell has been conducting an extensive exploration campaign as part of Namibia’s rapidly developing offshore oil and gas sector.
Shell Executive Vice President for Exploration, Strategy and Portfolio, Eugene Okpere, said the latest findings provide valuable insights into the resource potential of the Orange Basin.
“These are encouraging results that add to our understanding of the Orange Basin’s potential. We are progressing this opportunity through a disciplined, data-led approach to establish commerciality, focusing our investment on options that are material, competitive and resilient within our portfolio,” Okpere said.
He added that the company would continue working with the Namibian government and its partners as it advances its evaluation programme.
The latest discovery comes as international energy companies intensify exploration activities in Namibia’s offshore Orange Basin, which has emerged as one of the world’s most closely watched frontier oil provinces following a series of significant discoveries in recent years.
Shell said further drilling activities are being considered later in 2026 as part of a broader appraisal and exploration programme aimed at better defining the resource and assessing development options.
The company has yet to provide an estimate of recoverable resources from the Merlin-1X well, with additional technical and commercial evaluation work still underway.
