Rhino Resources Ltd Namibia has announced a third consecutive hydrocarbon discovery in the Orange Basin, following successful drilling at the Volans-1X exploration well on Petroleum Exploration Licence 85 (PEL85).
The Volans-1X well, drilled using the Deepsea Mira rig, was spudded on 31 July 2025 and reached a depth of 4,497.5 metres on 30 August.
The well penetrated its Upper Cretaceous target and encountered 26 metres of net pay in gas-condensate bearing reservoirs.
Laboratory analysis confirmed a condensate-to-gas ratio of more than 140 and a liquid density of about 40° API gravity, with no water contact observed.
“Rhino, on behalf of the PEL85 JV, are delighted to announce the discovery of a high liquid-yield gas condensate in an excellent quality reservoir at the Volans-1X well. This is our third consecutive hydrocarbon discovery on the Block and further enhances our understanding of the sub-surface,” said Rhino Resources Chief Executive Officer, Travis Smithard.
He added that the result “opens up an exciting new play fairway within the licence, identifying different reservoir and fluid type in this well from the recent discoveries made at Sagittarius-1X and Capricornus-1X.”
Hydrocarbon samples and sidewall cores were collected during extensive wireline logging operations, with further laboratory studies ongoing.
The rig was demobilised on 14 September to move to its next drilling location.
Smithard said the company, together with partners Azule Energy, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) and Korres Investments, would now assess the results.
“Rhino, in collaboration with our partners Azule Energy, NAMCOR and Korres will now evaluate the results of the ongoing testing and integrate them into blockwide prospectivity studies,” he noted.
Rhino Resources operates PEL85 with a 42.5% interest, alongside Azule Energy (42.5%), NAMCOR (10%) and Korres Investments (5%).
