<\/a>Travis Smithard said:
\u201cWe are pleased to have safely and successfully completed the drilling of the first exploration well in our programme on PEL 85.\u00a0The\u00a0hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir encountered is evidence for the effectiveness of charge, although further assessment will be required by Rhino and the PEL 85 JV partners to evaluate the results of the well.
Our attention now turns to the second target in the programme, which is the Capricornus prospect, a NE-SW trending channel system.\u00a0The Capricornus-1X well is due to be spud within the next 24 hours and is estimated to take 47\u00a0days to drill\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRhino is the operator, 42.5% with alongside Azule Energy (42.5%), Namcor (10%) and Korres Investments (Pty) Ltd (5%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rhino Resources has announced that it has completed the Sagittarius-1x well in the Orange Basin, PEL85 offshore Namibia. Commenting on the initial well results, Rhino\u2019s CEO Travis Smithard said:\u201cWe are … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":14342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7442,7445,11],"tags":[10317,11947,7913,1675,11949,11545,3851,11948],"class_list":["post-14921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-countries","category-southern-africa","category-top-news","tag-azule-energy","tag-korres-investments","tag-namcor","tag-namibia","tag-namibia-rhino-resources-completes-the-sagittarius-1x-well-in-the-orange-basin","tag-pel85","tag-rhino-resources","tag-sagittarius-1x-well","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Namibia-PEL85.jpg?fit=495%2C290&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5JWkQ-3SF","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15298,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-rhino-announces-volans-1x-probe-as-high-liquid-yield-gas-condensate-discovery-in-excellent-quality-reservoir\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":0},"title":"NAMIBIA: bp confirms discovery at the Volans-1X Well","author":"","date":"October 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"bp has confirmd the preliminary results of the Volans-1X exploration well in Namibia\u2019s Orange Basin, as reported by operator Rhino Resources.\u00a0 The\u00a0Volans-1X exploration well, spudded on\u00a031 July 2025\u00a0using the\u00a0Northern Ocean\u2019s\u00a0semi-submersible\u00a0Deepsea Mira, reached a total depth of\u00a04,497.5m TVDSS\u00a0on\u00a030 August 2025, successfully penetrating the\u00a0Upper Cretaceous\u00a0target. The well found\u00a026m of net pay\u00a0in rich-gas\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Deepsea-Mira.jpg?fit=540%2C582&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Deepsea-Mira.jpg?fit=540%2C582&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Deepsea-Mira.jpg?fit=540%2C582&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14952,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-rhino-resources-strikes-oil-at-the-offshore-capricornus-1-x-well\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":1},"title":"NAMIBIA: Rhino Resources Strikes Oil at the Offshore Capricornus 1-X well","author":"","date":"April 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Rhino Resources on behalf of PEL85 JV reports it has been 'successful' in its operated drilling campaign on Block 2914, offshore Orange Basin, Namibia where it was drilling its second well the Capricornus 1-X .Petroleum Exploration License 85, where the well was drilled, is operated by Rhino Resources with a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Namibia-PEL-85.jpg?fit=904%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Namibia-PEL-85.jpg?fit=904%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Namibia-PEL-85.jpg?fit=904%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Namibia-PEL-85.jpg?fit=904%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15696,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-orange-basin-industry-update\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":2},"title":"NAMIBIA: Orange Basin Industry Update","author":"Samuel Kamau Mbote","date":"April 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Courtesy Oregen Energyy The Orange Basin continues to evolve rapidly from frontier exploration into an active appraisal, development planning, and renewed exploration drilling environment. Recent public disclosures from operators and partners reinforce two important themes: (i) increasing drilling activity and data density across the basin, and (ii) strategic consolidation by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-3.png?fit=447%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15823,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-shell-announces-new-oil-discovery-in-orange-basin-with-merlin-1x-exploration-well-results\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":3},"title":"NAMIBIA: Shell announces New Oil Discovery in Orange Basin with Merlin-1X exploration well results","author":"Samuel Kamau Mbote","date":"June 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Shell, alongside its partners QatarEnergy and NAMCOR, has reported encouraging exploration results from its Merlin-1X exploration well in Petroleum Exploration Licence No. 0039 (PEL 0039), offshore Namibia, further advancing its evaluation of this Orange Basin block. The Merlin-1X well, spudded on 8 April 2026, is the tenth well drilled in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alert"","block_context":{"text":"Alert","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/top-news\/alert\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Namibia-Merlin-1X.png?fit=449%2C562&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14121,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-galp-discovers-hydrocarbons-at-the-mopane-1x-well-at-pel-83\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":4},"title":"NAMIBIA: Galp Discovers Hydrocarbons at the Mopane-1X Well at PEL 83","author":"","date":"January 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Galp (operator, 80%) and its partners NAMCOR and Custos (10% each) initiated the drilling campaignin PEL 83, offshore Namibia, on November 17, 2023. The first well, Mopane-1X, indicates preliminary signs of hydrocarbon presence. Drilling and data acquisition campaigns are underway, making any conclusion premature beforeoperations are completed and results assessed.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PEL83.png?fit=1067%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PEL83.png?fit=1067%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PEL83.png?fit=1067%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PEL83.png?fit=1067%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PEL83.png?fit=1067%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14311,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/namibia-azule-energy-and-rhino-resources-announce-strategic-farm-in-agreement-for-block-2914a-pel85\/","url_meta":{"origin":14921,"position":5},"title":"NAMIBIA: Azule Energy and Rhino Resources Announce Strategic Farm-In Agreement for Block 2914A (PEL85)","author":"","date":"May 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Azule Energy and Rhino Resources Namibia announce the execution of a farm-in agreement. The agreement will grant Azule a 42.5% interest in Block 2914A located in the offshore Namibian Orange basin. The current contractor group consists of\u00a0Rhino\u00a0{Operator, 85%),\u00a0Namcor\u00a0(10%) and local company\u00a0Korres Investments {Pty) Ltd\u00a0{5%). The plan is to drill two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Namibia-PEL85.jpg?fit=495%2C290&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14921"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14922,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14921\/revisions\/14922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}