QatarEnergy and partners have announced a light oil discovery in the Jonker-1X deep-water exploration well drilled in the PEL-39 Exploration License, offshore Namibia. The Jonker-1X well was drilled to a total depth of 6,168 meters in a water depth of 2,210 meters. The acquired data is being evaluated while further appraisal is planned to determine the size and recoverable potential of the discovery.

The PEL-39 Exploration License is held by a consortium comprised of QatarEnergy (with a 45% working interest), Shell (Operator with a 45% working interest) and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia “NAMCOR” (with a 10% working interest).

This announcement follows two similar announcements by QatarEnergy in February 2022 of oil discoveries in the Graff-1 well and in the Venus-1X prospect, both located in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia. In addition to the PEL-39 Exploration License, QatarEnergy also holds interests in PEL-56 (30%) and PEL-91 (28.33%) in offshore Namibia covering a total area of 28,327 km2.

The Jonker-1X deep-water well is located 270 km offshore Namibia. Drilling operations began in December 2022 and were safely concluded in recent days.

Graff-1 well located in the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia was followed by conduction analysis on the well data and further exploration activity to determine the full size and recoverable resource potential.

On the Jonker-1X discovery: “We are pleased with this encouraging discovery, which is our third in Namibia. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our partners Shell and NAMCOR, and to congratulate and thank the Government of the Republic of Namibia, which has been very supportive of this exploration effort.” 

While on the Graff-1 well discovery: “We are encouraged by the Graff-1 well results, which enhance the potential of our exploration acreage in Namibia’s offshore. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate our partners Shell and NAMCOR, and my colleagues in QatarEnergy for their great efforts that led to this discovery, in a safe and efficient manner.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the government of Namibia on the next steps, following this discovery,” His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said.

The Graff-1 well was drilled to a total depth of 5,376 meters in water depths of approximately 2,000 meters in the PEL-39 license area, which covers a total area of 12,299 km2. QatarEnergy has interests in 3 areas (PEL39, 2912, & 2913B) in offshore Namibia covering a total area of 28,327 km2.