Shell is expected to begin a new drilling campaign in Petroleum Exploration Licence 39 (PEL 39) offshore Namibia this month, as exploration activity in the Orange Basin continues to intensify.
The campaign will be carried out in partnership with QatarEnergy and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor). Shell holds a 45% operating stake in the licence, alongside QatarEnergy with 45% and Namcor with 10%.
PEL 39 covers an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres in the Orange Basin, located about 230 kilometres off the southern Namibian coast near Oranjemund.
The latest drilling programme follows several exploration and appraisal wells drilled by the joint venture over the past three years, as companies seek to better understand the basin’s petroleum potential.
Shell has contracted the Deepsea Mira drilling unit for the campaign. The rig is operated by Odfjell Drilling and owned by Northern Ocean Ltd.
In support of the campaign, FlyNamibia has introduced scheduled flights between Windhoek’s Eros Airport and Lüderitz. The service, running from 2 to 22 April 2026, is aimed at facilitating the movement of personnel and logistics linked to offshore operations.
The campaign forms part of Shell’s broader exploration strategy in the Orange Basin, which has emerged as one of the world’s most active offshore oil frontiers following major discoveries by international energy companies, including Shell, TotalEnergies and Galp.
Although Namibia has yet to produce oil, the country is targeting first production by 2030, supported by ongoing exploration and appraisal activity across its offshore basins.
