QatarEnergy announces new offshore oil discovery in Namibia’s Orange Basin
Merlin-1X well delivers strongest results yet under PEL 0039, reinforcing confidence in Namibia’s emerging deepwater hydrocarbon province
QatarEnergy has announced a new offshore oil discovery following encouraging results from the Merlin-1X exploration well drilled in Petroleum Exploration License 39 (PEL 0039) off the coast of Namibia.
The Merlin-1X well, the tenth drilled under the license, has delivered the most promising subsurface results recorded in the block to date. According to the company, the findings indicate good reservoir quality and the presence of light oil with limited associated gas, an encouraging combination for future development potential.
The discovery adds to QatarEnergy’s growing track record in Namibia, following three earlier discoveries in the same region. The results further strengthen industry confidence in the offshore Orange Basin, which has rapidly emerged as one of the most closely watched new hydrocarbon frontiers globally.
Commenting on the discovery, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said the results represent “a significant step” in reinforcing confidence in the basin as a world-class hydrocarbon province. He added that the success aligns with QatarEnergy’s strategy to expand its international upstream portfolio through high-impact exploration.
He also expressed appreciation to the Government of Namibia for its continued support and congratulated partners involved in the project, including Shell and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia.
QatarEnergy currently holds interests in four offshore exploration licenses in Namibia: PEL 0039 (45%), PEL 0056 (35.25%), PEL 0091 (33.03%), and PEL 0090 (27.5%). Together, these blocks cover approximately 34,000 square kilometres offshore Namibia, underscoring the company’s significant footprint in the country’s upstream exploration sector.
