Namibia’s Orange Basin is forecast to see a surge in drilling activity this year, with 7 to 10 wells expected to be drilled.
Westwood’s latest Global E&A Wildcat review predicts a significant year for high-impact drilling in Namibia, which will play a crucial role in determining the basin’s long-term viability.
Exploration Research Manager at Westwood, Jamie Collard, highlighted Olympe-1X and Sagittarius-1X as key wells to watch. However, Chevron’s Kapana-1 well recently yielded a dry result.
“High-impact exploration in 2025 is expected to remain stable, with QatarEnergy emerging as the most active explorer. All eyes will be on the Orange Basin,” Collard said.
Beyond Namibia, exploration activity will continue across several African regions. Azule Energy is set to drill the Kianda-1 well in Angola’s Congo Basin outboard area in the second half of 2025. Drilling activity is also anticipated in the Namibe, Rio Muni, and Tano basins, while frontier wells will be tested in the Cabora Bassa and Kavango basins.
Westwood forecasts that 65-75 high-impact exploration wells will be completed in 2025, maintaining a stable outlook compared to the 69 wells completed in 2024.
QatarEnergy is expected to lead in 2025 with 13 high-impact wells, all but one operated by supermajors. Petrobras will oversee a single well in Brazil. Chevron follows with seven wells, though two—Khendjer in Egypt and Kapana in Namibia—have already been completed as dry holes.
The review also highlights an uptick in frontier wells, with 21 anticipated in 2025, compared to 19 in 2024. These will target emerging plays in established basins such as Sabah, Rio Muni, the Western Black Sea, Suriname-Guyana, and Cauvery. High-value prospects in mature and maturing plays are expected to constitute 40% of the high-impact program, an increase from last year.
“Twenty-one frontier wells are expected in 2025, a slight increase from 19 in 2024,” Collard noted. “Emerging play wells will make up approximately 30% of the high-impact inventory in 2025, down from 36% in 2024.”
North America’s high-impact drilling is expected to decline further, with just five wells forecast for 2025, down from 13 in 2024. Meanwhile, South America is projected to be the busiest region globally, with 17 high-impact wells planned. Key wells in Brazil’s Santos and Campos basins, including Andorinha and Bumerangue, aim to extend the pre-salt play further south.
“South America could see 17 high-impact wells in 2025, making it the busiest region globally. The Santos and Campos basins in Brazil will see key wells at Andorinha in the Campos Basin, located south of Marlim Sul, and the Bumerangue well in the Santos, which will attempt to extend the pre-salt play further south,” the report states.
In the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Middle East, 14 high-impact wells are expected, with significant focus on the Nefertari gas discovery in Egypt’s Herodotus Basin. The Asia-Pacific region will also see 14 high-impact wells, with Hai Su Vang-1X standing out as a recent discovery.
“High-impact drilling in North America continues to decline, with only five high-impact wells currently anticipated for 2025, down from 13 in 2024 and 20 in 2023,” Collard explained.
