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QatarEnergy recently disclosed the discovery of an additional offshore oil deposit within Namibia's Orange Basin, further establishing the Southern African country as a premier global destination for oil exploration. The Merlin-1X well, part of Petroleum Exploration License 39, revealed promising geological data, including light crude oil and high-quality reservoirs.
This marks the eighth successful well drilled within PEL 39, further boosting Namibia's reputation in the energy sector. The energy giant said that a substantial oil-bearing reservoir was found in its Merlin-1X exploration well, which is part of Petroleum Exploration License 39.
It claims that the well produced some of the most promising geological data seen in the licensing area to date, including the existence of light crude oil and high-quality reservoir features. The finding adds to a growing number of successful discoveries that have turned Namibia from a relatively unknown exploration market into one of Africa's most keenly watched energy hotspots.
"We are pleased with this discovery, which follows three earlier discovery announcements in Namibia," QatarEnergy CEO and Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said. Shell, alongside its partners QatarEnergy and NAMCOR, reported encouraging exploration results from its Merlin-1X exploration well in Petroleum Exploration Licence No. 0039.
The Merlin-1X well, spudded on 8 April 2026, is the tenth well drilled in the licence, which is operated by Shell. It successfully penetrated the Coniacian play and has delivered the most promising subsurface results to date in PEL 0039, indicating good reservoir quality with light oil and limited associated gas.
QatarEnergy continues to consolidate a significant operational footprint within the country, maintaining interests in four offshore exploration licenses. Beyond its participation in PEL 56, PEL 91, and PEL 90, the corporation retains a 45% stake in PEL 39, providing exposure to approximately 34,000 square kilometers of offshore territory.
Over the last several years, large multinational oil corporations have increased their exploration activity along Namibia's coastline, notably in the Orange basin. The spike in interest began after a series of offshore discoveries revealed that the country potentially has significant hydrocarbon reserves capable of supporting a future oil-producing sector.
In 2023, Namibia's state-owned National Petroleum Corporation reported the finding of light oil around 270 kilometers offshore. Momentum continued in 2024, with industry behemoths such as TotalEnergies and Shell reporting finds estimated at 2.6 billion barrels of oil resources, raising hopes that commercial production may begin before the end of the decade.
Despite some difficulties, exploration activity in the nation has continued to grow. With several finds in the Orange, Walvis, Lüderitz, and Kavango basins, Namibia is rapidly being regarded as a potential energy powerhouse.
