The joint venture (JV) managing the Kudu Gas Project is on track to deliver its field development plan to the Ministry of Mines and Energy by the second quarter of 2025.
According to the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), the JV is preparing for an appraisal drilling campaign of up to two wells. The long lead items have already been purchased ahead of a Q3 2025 spud data.
“BW Kudu Ltd (95% operator), National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) (5% with a further 5% back-in right) are committed to developing the gas-to-power project which will serve as a national strategic project to solve the energy need for Namibia and its neighbours. The JV is on course to submit the field development plan to the Ministry of Mines and Energy by Q2 2025,” NAMCOR said.
A Field Development Plan (FDP) is a detailed strategy for extracting oil or gas from a field. It covers reserves, production forecasts, drilling plans, infrastructure, costs, environmental impact and compliance.
The FDP also ensures efficient resource recovery, regulatory approval, risk management and economic viability.
This comes as BW Kudu Limited (BW Kudu) plans to drill four appraisal wells within Block 2814A to confirm and test the presence and quality of hydrocarbon resources.
Block 2814A is situated 144 kilometres offshore from Namibia’s southern coast. SLR Environmental Consulting (SLR) has been appointed to manage the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process.
According to documents seen by M&E, the proposed drilling activities will include seabed sampling, vertical seismic profiling, well testing, and the plugging and abandonment or suspension of the wells.
Each well is projected to take approximately three months to drill. The proposed appraisal wells could be located anywhere within Block 2814A.
To proceed with drilling, BW Kudu must first obtain an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the proposed appraisal activities involves evaluating potential environmental and social impacts associated with the drilling.
The EIA will be critical in deciding whether BW Kudu will be granted the necessary environmental clearance to proceed with the appraisal drilling in Block 2814A.
BW Kudu is the holder of a Petroleum Production Licence (PPL) 003 for Block 2814A, located off the southern coast of Namibia.
Block 2814A covers an area of approximately 45 678km2 and is located 144 km offshore at its closest point, in water depths ranging from 150m to 750m.