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Branching out: Shell is already drilling an appraisal well in its big Graff-1 oil discovery offshore NamibiaPhoto: AP/SCANPIX
What's next for Orange basin after Venus and Graff?
Supermajors, independents and juniors look for the next big discoveries in prolific play offshore Namibia and South Africa
25 February 2022 17:43 GMT UPDATED 25 February 2022 17:43 GMT
By Iain Esau in London
TotalEnergies’ huge exploration success at Venus came hard on the heels of Shell’s significant oil discovery at Graff, both opening up the frontier Orange basin which straddles the maritime boundary between Namibia and South Africa.
Shell is already drilling ahead on a Graff appraisal well in block 2913A, while TotalEnergies is expected to spud a delineation well shortly at Venus in block 2913B.
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Once these wells have been wrapped up, the two supermajors would probably like to test other exploration targets in their prolific Namibian blocks (Shell also operates 2813B), while at the same time pursuing fast-track development schemes.
Outside these tracts, there is a view among many explorers approached by Upstream that acreage to the south of Venus in Graff in South Africa holds bigger prospects than perhaps lie in Namibian blocks to the north of the two mega-discoveries.
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TotalEnergies is expected to begin to boost its understanding of the promising Orange Basin Deep Water block in South Africa that it recently farmed into with QatarEnergy, and where Sezigyn is the other partner.
TotalEnergies and Impact are also partners in an exploration block immediately to the south of OBDW.
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Eco-Atlantic-operated Block 3B/4B – where the partners are Africa Oil and Ricocure - is also said to have significant potential, while the play may also extend in a PetroSA-operated block, and possibly into a Shell licence.
In Namibia, sources suggested that Galp may hold an extension of the new play in block 2813A, as could Harmattan Energy in block 2813B and possibly Pancontinental in block 2713, while Rhino Resources controls a block next to Shell's acreage.
Life on Venus: TotalEnergies’ Namibia wildcat hits reservoir amid optimism
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Until it exited last month, Tullow operated block 2813B leaving Harmattan with a 37.06% stake, partner by Trago Energy on 52.94% and state-owned Namcor on 10%..
Havoc Partners – headed by former Fusion Oil & Gas founder Alan Stein – owns Harmattan which has assumed the role of operator of the 5433 square kilometre block located in water depths of 2300 and 3300 metres
UPDATED: Shell finds oil with closely watched Namibian wildcat
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Harmattan said before the results of Venus-1 were known that the partners have identified several prospective features associated with deepwater channel-fan complexes, “which are well located with respect to the source rocks now proved by Graff-1.”
Although an informed source suggested the Venus play has been mapped on the block.
The partners plan to acquire a 3D seismic survey to further delineate this prospectivity.
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