Shell has completed its latest offshore drilling campaign in Namibia, marking the end of another phase of exploration in the Orange Basin, one of the world’s most closely watched emerging oil frontiers. According to Shell Namibia and Business Insider Africa, the company concluded drilling operations at the Merlin-1X exploration well in Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 39, with the Deepsea Mira drilling rig completing its contract before departing for Walvis Bay for upgrades. The campaign forms part of Shell’s ongoing evaluation of the commercial potential of its offshore discoveries alongside partners QatarEnergy and NAMCOR.
The Merlin-1X well, drilled between April and July 2026, delivered what Shell described as its most encouraging subsurface results to date within PEL 39, confirming high-quality reservoirs containing light oil with limited associated gas. While the company chose not to exercise its option for an immediate second well, Shell said the results have strengthened its understanding of the Orange Basin and that additional appraisal drilling later in 2026 remains under consideration as it continues evaluating the project’s commercial viability.
Namibia has emerged as one of the world’s most promising offshore exploration hotspots following a series of major discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies, Galp Energia, and other international energy companies since 2022. Although Shell previously wrote down some discoveries because of commercial challenges, the latest drilling results reinforce continued confidence in the basin’s long-term potential. Namibia is targeting first oil production before the end of the decade, with the Orange Basin expected to become a major new source of global crude supply.
For Namibia, the completion of Shell’s latest drilling campaign highlights the country’s growing importance in global energy exploration. Analysts say continued appraisal activity by major international oil companies could pave the way for future investment decisions, strengthen Namibia’s position as Africa’s newest offshore petroleum hub, and support long-term economic growth through energy exports, infrastructure development, and job creation.
