• Rhino reports gas, condensate at Namibia’s Volans-1X well

• Tests show 33 mmcfd gas, 5,300 bpd condensate

• Marks third consecutive discovery on PEL 85

Tests offshore Namibia have yielded gas and condensate, according to results published on Feb. 23 by Rhino Resources Namibia Ltd.

The data show output of about 33 million cubic feet of gas per day and nearly 5,300 barrels per day of condensate.

The results come from the Volans-1X well in the Orange Basin, drilled under exploration licence PEL 85. Drilling began in July 2025 and reached a depth of about 4,500 metres below sea level on Aug. 30, 2025.

The well was tested from Jan. 5 to Jan. 13, 2026, to measure flow rates and gather reservoir data. Drilling confirmed hydrocarbons and the well’s capacity to produce at sustained rates. No development decision has been announced.

Company analyses show the gas contains between 1% and 2% carbon dioxide and traces of hydrogen sulfide of about 3 parts per million.

A series of discoveries on PEL 85

The Volans-1X results are part of Rhino’s offshore exploration campaign in the Orange Basin. In February 2025, the company announced a hydrocarbon discovery at the Sagittarius-1X well on PEL 85.

A few months later, drilling at Capricornus-1X encountered light oil. Tests showed flow rates exceeding 11,000 barrels per day of light crude, with no water encountered.

Rhino described Volans-1X, announced on Oct. 1, 2025, as its third consecutive discovery on PEL 85.

In October 2025, the company said it planned further drilling and appraisal to gather additional data on its discoveries. The Capricornus and Volans finds lie about 15 kilometres apart, the operator said.

The developments come as offshore exploration in Namibia has accelerated since 2022, following TotalEnergies’ Venus discovery and Shell’s Graff find in the Orange Basin.

In 2024, Galp announced a discovery on the Mopane prospect. In early February 2026, Petrobras acquired a 42.5% stake in a Namibian offshore licence in partnership with TotalEnergies, the companies said.

Abdel-Latif Boureima