BW Energy has confirmed a major breakthrough offshore Namibia after completing the Kharas-1 appraisal well in the Kudu licence. The team drilled the well to 5,100 metres using Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Mira and met every technical target. Kharas-1 intersected several reservoir intervals. Shallow turbidite layers produced dry gas, while deeper fractured volcaniclastic zones revealed liquid hydrocarbons — the first confirmed liquids ever found in the Kudu system.
CEO Carl Arnet said the well achieved its goals by testing multiple horizons in one borehole. He added that the new data sharpens the company’s view of the basin’s petroleum system. With the data-gathering phase complete, BW Energy will now plug and abandon the well as planned. The team will shift its attention to prospects that contain both gas and liquids. New appraisal wells are scheduled for 2026–2027.
Leadership Overhaul and a Sharper African Focus
The Kharas-1 results arrive as BW Energy completes a major leadership transition. In September 2025, Brice Morlot became COO and Thomas Young stepped into the CFO role. Management also reorganised its structure to move African developments forward at a faster pace.
Gabon’s Dussafu hub produces about 40,000 b/d, and the growing potential at Kudu gives Africa a central place in BW Energy’s growth plans. The company aims to reach 90,000 b/d of net output by 2028 through a staged, disciplined expansion.
Kharas-1 improves the project’s momentum toward a final investment decision. BW Energy now targets FID for late 2026 after earlier plans shifted between 2024 and 2025. Liquids change Kudu’s economic outlook. For years, the field carried the reputation of a stranded dry-gas resource. The confirmation of condensate and light oil now offers stronger returns and broadens the project’s commercial options, including export revenue.
Impact on Namibia’s Power System and Energy Outlook
Namibia still imports more than 60% of its electricity. This dependence leads to regular shortages and higher system risk. Kudu’s planned first phase — a 420 MW plant that can expand to 800 MW — could supply up to 60% of the country’s baseload demand. It also offers lower emissions than coal. Surplus power could flow into the Southern African Power Pool.
Kudu also stands out for its timing. It is the only shallow-water gas project that can deliver production before the end of the decade. This puts it years ahead of deepwater projects such as Venus and Graff and positions Kudu as Namibia’s first commercial hydrocarbon development.
The project promises benefits beyond energy security. It will create jobs, build local supplier networks, and support skills development. The Orange Basin holds an estimated 11–20 billion boe, and Namibia aims for first commercial output by 2030. With the momentum created by Kharas-1, Kudu could shift Namibia from an energy importer to a regional exporter. It also has the potential to anchor long-term investment in power generation and infrastructure.
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