An offshore exploration well in Namibia has tested at around 33 million cubic feet of gas per day and nearly 5,300 barrels per day of condensate, according to results released by Rhino Resources Namibia.
The data, published on February 23, relate to the Volans-1X well in the Orange Basin, drilled under exploration licence Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 85.
Rhino said the well was tested between January 5 and January 13 to measure flow rates and collect reservoir data, confirming the presence of hydrocarbons and the well’s ability to produce at sustained rates.
Drilling of Volans-1X began in July 2025 and reached a total depth of around 4,500 metres below sea level on August 30, 2025. The company has not yet announced a development decision.
According to company analyses, the gas contains between one and two percent carbon dioxide and traces of hydrogen sulfide of around three parts per million.
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The latest results mark Rhino’s third consecutive discovery on PEL 85, underscoring growing interest in Namibia’s offshore acreage.
In February 2025, the company announced a hydrocarbon discovery at the Sagittarius-1X well, also on PEL 85. A few months later, drilling at Capricornus-1X encountered light oil, with tests showing flow rates exceeding 11,000 barrels per day and no water present.
Rhino described Volans-1X, first announced in October 2025, as part of a broader offshore exploration campaign in the Orange Basin. The Capricornus and Volans discoveries are located approximately 15 kilometres apart, the operator said.
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The findings add to a wave of exploration successes offshore Namibia since 2022, transforming the southern African nation into one of the world’s most closely watched new oil and gas frontiers.
In 2022, TotalEnergies announced the Venus discovery in the Orange Basin, a major light oil find that sparked renewed international interest in the region. Shortly afterwards, Shell confirmed its Graff discovery in nearby acreage.
More recently, Portugal’s Galp said in 2024 it had made a discovery at the Mopane prospect, further boosting the basin’s prospectivity.
In early February 2026, Brazil’s state-controlled oil company Petrobras acquired a 42.5 percent stake in a Namibian offshore licence in partnership with TotalEnergies, signalling continued confidence in the country’s offshore potential.
While Namibia has no commercial oil or gas production to date, successive discoveries have raised hopes that it could join the ranks of African hydrocarbon producers, potentially reshaping its economic outlook.
Analysts caution, however, that further appraisal drilling, technical studies and investment decisions will be required before any of the discoveries move to development.
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For now, the Volans-1X test results reinforce the Orange Basin’s status as a key exploration hotspot, as international and independent operators step up efforts to unlock what could become one of Africa’s most significant new energy provinces.
