Namibia sets schedule for licensing round

Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has announced plans for a third offshore licensing round and the opening of onshore acreage to bidding. The offshore licensing round will cover all unlicensed blocks in Namibian waters, including deepwater areas that will be opened for bidding for the first time. The round will open on Oct. 1, and close on Mar. 31, 1999. Exploration Consultants Ltd., Henley-on-Thames, U.K., is organizing promotional seminars in Houston and London on Sept. 22 and 29,

May 4, 1998

2 min read

Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has announced plans for a third offshore licensing round and the opening of onshore acreage to bidding.

The offshore licensing round will cover all unlicensed blocks in Namibian waters, including deepwater areas that will be opened for bidding for the first time.

The round will open on Oct. 1, and close on Mar. 31, 1999. Exploration Consultants Ltd., Henley-on-Thames, U.K., is organizing promotional seminars in Houston and London on Sept. 22 and 29, respectively.

Richard Bray, senior geologist at Exploration Consultants, said Western Geophysical Inc. is acquiring seismic data along the western edge of Namibia's territorial waters.

While block boundaries have been defined on the continental shelf, the new survey will help define the limits of the deepwater blocks to be offered in the third round.

The new seismic data are being acquired in up to 2,500 m of water, said Bray. Namibia's continental shelf is about 1,000 m deep at its edge, after which the seabed falls away steeply to almost 3,000 m.

Bray said four blocks off Namibia are already under license: two to Shell International BV, one to Norsk Hydro AS, and one to Ranger Oil Ltd. Shell's Kudu gas discovery is on one of the blocks.

Exploration Consultants said Nam- ibia's existing deepwater seismic database reveals several major prospects. Recent drilling was said to have confirmed oil-prone source rocks in Aptian and Cenomanian/Turonian intervals.

Kudu is Namibia's only find to date, however, and depends for development on identification of a gas market in South Africa.

Besides the offshore licensing round, the ministry said Namibia's onshore areas are now open for license applications at anytime. Bray said eight onshore wells have been drilled, the last being in 1991.

One gave an oil show, and one a gas show.