Namibia has received its first oil following Reconnaissance Energy preliminary oil production testing results from the three lowest zones in the Elandshoek formation on the Kavango West 1X discovery well, which began testing operations on June 8, 2026.
ReconAfrica has completed production testing of the lowest three zones located in the Elandshoek formation. Testing in the uppermost zone in the Elandshoek successfully produced natural gas to surface on three separate flow tests. Production samples have been collected for lab analysis, and the rest of the produced hydrocarbons have been flared at the surface. The results of the compositional analysis are expected in the coming weeks from samples to be sent to laboratories in the United States.
Testing equipment is currently being moved up hole to continue production testing the three identified zones in the shallower Huttenberg formation. The three Huttenberg zones will test 182 metres of reservoir section, including 76 net metres of hydrocarbon pay identified in well-log tests. It is estimated that testing may take up to approximately 10 days per zone and therefore management estimates providing the next production test update by approximately late August.
“We are very excited to have produced hydrocarbons to surface on the Kavango West production test, which are the first hydrocarbons ever produced to surface onshore Namibia. Knowing that the Elandshoek formation had naturally fractured carbonate rocks, we are pleased to learn that those fractures support production.
“Our operations team is working on a possible open hole horizontal or deviated sidetrack from this wellbore to intersect a larger reservoir interval and the natural fracture network across the structure. Based on global analogue reservoirs. We believe a significant uplift in productivity rates could be realized by this operation. Our operational team is now focused on production testing the significant net hydrocarbon column in the Huttenburg formation,” Brian Reinsborough, President and CEO, commented.
