Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (ReconAfrica) started drilling operations on the first well (6-2) of an initial three well program in production exploration license (PEL) 073 in the Kalahari Desert of North East Namibia (OGJ Online, Aug 27, 2020).
The well will be drilled by the company’s owned 1,000 HP Jarvie-1 rig to a planned 12,500 ft total depth (TD) to evaluate potential hydrocarbon systems in one of five major sub-basins of the larger, more laterally extensive, Permian aged Kavango basin.
The first prospective section of the well is designed to reach 4,800 ft where intermediate casing will be set. Sidewall cores and well logs will be run from 1,000-4,800 ft to identify conventional targets. The top of the Permian section should be reached at about 4,000 ft.
The second section of the well is designed to reach 12,500 ft TD through the intermediate to lower Permian sections. Whole core and a full logging suite of all zones of interest (conventional targets and source rocks) will be obtained while drilling the lower section. Schlumberger will provide a comprehensive state of the art logging program over both sections.
The well will be drilled with water-based drilling fluid to supply ideal samples (cuttings and core) to determine a range of petroleum properties and locations for future exploration and production wells.
Drilling to total depth and initial analysis of all prospective production targets is expected to take up to 45 days.
PEL 073 covers the entire Kavango sedimentary basin in an area of about 25,341.33 sq km (6.3 million acres).
ReconAfrica owns 90% interest in the license. State-owned NAMCOR holds 10%.