Sintana Energy Inc has secured a 12-month extension of Petroleum Exploration Licence 79 (PEL 79) in Namibia’s Orange Basin, with the licence now valid until July 2026.
The extension, which covers offshore blocks 2815 and 2915, was granted by the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy and comes amid growing exploration activity in the basin.
PEL 79 is operated through a joint venture led by the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), which holds a 67% interest, while Giraffe Energy Investments owns the remaining 33%. Sintana Energy maintains a 49% indirect interest in Giraffe.
Sintana said the licence is situated inboard of areas held by BW Energy, Rhino Resources and Shell, and benefits from extensive existing data, including over 4,760 km of 2D seismic, 1,137 km² of 3D seismic, and one exploration well that encountered gas shows in the Kudu source rock.
The company described the acreage as being in an “increasingly active sub-basin” with proven oil-weighted potential. It noted that Rhino Resources’ recent Capricornus-1X discovery on the adjacent PEL 85 flowed more than 11,000 barrels per day of light oil from a 38-metre net oil-bearing reservoir, with minimal gas. Rhino is expected to drill its Volans prospect in the third quarter of 2025, and has up to two additional optional wells planned.
In parallel, BW Energy has acquired 4,600 km² of new 3D seismic data on neighbouring PEL 3, west of PEL 79, and is preparing to drill the Kharas well later this year.
Sintana CEO Robert Bose praised NAMCOR’s role in securing the additional exploration period.
“Extending our exposure during a period of significant offset activity positions us to fully realise the geologic, commercial, and strategic value of PEL 79,” he said.
“The potential for high-impact progress on PEL 79 adds to the prospect for significant developments across our Namibian offshore portfolio. We expect material progress on all our licences over the coming quarters.”
