Shell is gearing up for a fresh drilling campaign in Namibia’s offshore PEL 39 block, scheduled to begin in April 2026, as it partners with QatarEnergy and Namcor to revive exploration efforts. The move follows Shell’s $400 million write-down earlier this year after deeming a previous discovery commercially unviable. Now, with a new contract awarded to Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Mira unit, the company is returning to one of the world’s most-watched exploration zones. Located in the Orange Basin—home to major finds by Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp—the project reflects renewed optimism as Namibia targets its first-ever oil production by 2030.
CNBC Africa
