• BW Energy confirms light oil and condensate discovery at Namibia’s Kudu gas field
  

• Kharas-1 results boost basin understanding; FID now targeted for late 2026
  

• Kudu seen as key to Namibia’s energy security and first hydrocarbon production

Norwegian operator BW Energy announced on Wednesday the discovery of liquid hydrocarbons, including condensates and light oil, in deeper fractured volcaniclastic formations at the Kudu gas field in Namibia. It is the first confirmed liquid find at the field and follows final results from the Kharas-1 appraisal well, which was drilled to a total depth of 5,100 meters (16,732 feet). The well, drilled using Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Mira platform, also confirmed the presence of dry gas.

BW Energy CEO Carl Arnet said the well achieved its technical objectives by testing multiple targets in one bore and provided valuable data. He added that confirming the presence of liquids significantly improves the company’s understanding of the basin’s petroleum system. As planned, the data-gathering well will now be plugged and abandoned. The company will shift its focus to higher-value prospects that contain both gas and liquids, with new appraisal wells planned for 2026 and 2027.

The results come as BW Energy restructures its leadership to strengthen Africa’s role in its growth strategy. In September 2025, Brice Morlot was appointed Chief Operating Officer and Thomas Young became Chief Financial Officer as part of a broader effort to accelerate African projects. The company’s portfolio on the continent, centered on the Dussafu hub in Gabon, which produces 40,000 barrels per day, and the Kudu project in Namibia, supports its goal of reaching 90,000 barrels per day of net production by 2028 through a phased and low-cost development approach.

The Kharas-1 findings move the Kudu project closer to a Final Investment Decision. Initially planned for 2024 and later postponed to 2025, the decision is now targeted for late 2026 in line with the government’s timeline.

For Namibia, the discovery is strategically important. The country imports more than 60 percent of its electricity and continues to face recurring shortages. With an initial phase planned for 420 MW and potential expansion to 800 MW, Kudu could provide 50 to 60 percent of national baseload needs with lower emissions than coal. Any surplus electricity could be exported through the Southern African Power Pool.

Beyond energy security, the project is expected to generate jobs, tax revenue, local contracting opportunities, and skills development. With prospective resources in the Orange Basin estimated at between 11 and 20 billion barrels, and a national objective of achieving first commercial production by 2030, Kudu is positioned to become Namibia’s first commercial hydrocarbon development.