Namibia’s Offshore Dreams Take Shape as Galp Receives Mopane Offers
Portugal’s Galp Energia is advancing negotiations for its massive Mopane oil discovery off Namibia’s coast, signaling that Africa’s most promising new hydrocarbon frontier is moving closer to commercial reality. The company has begun receiving offers from potential buyers and expects to announce a sale later this year, with development plans involving two floating production storage and offloading units, each capable of pumping around 120,000 barrels daily.
Located in Namibia’s increasingly active Orange Basin, the Mopane field could hold at least 10 billion barrels of oil, representing one of the largest deepwater discoveries in recent African history. The find sits alongside other major developments, including TotalEnergies’ Venus discovery, which is targeting a final investment decision in early 2026 with first oil by 2029.
However, technical challenges are emerging as the industry gains experience in Namibian waters. The subsurface proves less favorable than Guyana’s prolific finds, with lower permeability rocks and higher gas-to-oil ratios complicating development. Shell took a $400 million write-down on its Jonker-1 well, while Chevron came up dry in its Kapana 1-X well, tempering earlier euphoria about the basin’s potential.
Despite setbacks, momentum continues building behind anchor projects that could collectively transform Namibia into a mid-tier oil producer by the mid-2030s, with analysts forecasting peak output between 300,000 and 400,000 barrels per day.
Source: Oilprice.com
