NAMIBIA: ReconAfrica Resumes Operations at Kavango West 1X Well Ahead of Key Horizontal Flow Test
Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (ReconAfrica) has officially resumed site operations at its Kavango West 1X Sidetrack (KW1X) discovery well in northeastern Namibia, clearing the runway for a high-stakes horizontal drilling and flow testing campaign set to begin as early as October.
The update comes alongside promising initial test results from vertical samples at KW1X, as well as operational updates across the company’s broader portfolio in Namibia, Angola, and Gabon.
Gas Samples Confirm Liquid Potential at Kavango West
Analysis of gas samples extracted from the Huttenberg and Elandshoek formations during vertical testing confirmed the presence of thermogenic gas with maturity levels spanning from late oil to early gas. Crucially, the data points to a liquid-capable petroleum system.
To evaluate commercial viability, ReconAfrica plans to drill an open-hole horizontal section of up to 1,000 meters into the Kavango structure. The wellbore will remain uncased and uncemented to maximize flow from natural fracture networks and porous zones.
“Measuring a flow rate and determining liquids content at KW1X are essential for moving towards a Final Investment Decision at the Kavango discovery,” said Brian Reinsborough, President and CEO of ReconAfrica. He added that the findings will offer key technical insight into 22 additional mapped structures across the company’s Namibian exploration license.
Rig Back in Action as Approvals Pending
The Jarvie-1 drilling rig has returned to active service after undergoing scheduled maintenance. Crews have initiated work in the vertical wellbore, pulling casing and preparing to set a whipstock at a depth of approximately 2,500 meters to steer the horizontal leg.
All necessary equipment is either on site or en route, and regulatory amendments have been submitted. Pending final agency sign-offs, horizontal drilling is projected to take about a month, with flow testing slated to start immediately afterward prior to any acid wash treatment to determine well deliverability, liquid yield, and reservoir pressure response.
Exploration Progress in Angola and Gabon
Beyond its core Namibian holdings, ReconAfrica reported early momentum in neighboring countries:
- Angola: Preliminary findings from a Q2 surface soil sampling program on the company’s MOU acreage revealed evidence of micro-seeps and vertical hydrocarbon migration. The results suggest an active, thermogenic petroleum system with liquid potential that mirrors the trend seen in Namibia’s Damara Fold Belt. ReconAfrica plans to acquire 2D seismic data over the area, tentatively targeted for 2027.
- Gabon: Advanced 3D seismic reprocessing over the offshore Ngulu concession is utilizing Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) technology to map oil reservoirs in the Loba field and identify broader exploration leads. The reprocessing work and an accompanying resource report are expected by year-end, paving the way to select appraisal well locations for a future spud date.
