What happened
- On 31 July 2025, our close neighbor ReconAfrica has spudded the Kavango West 1X well (Prospect I) in NE onshore Namibia.
- The well targets the Damara Fold Belt’s Otavi carbonate play, it is planned to ~3,800 m TD, aims to penetrate >1,500 m of Otavi reservoir, and sits on a ~22 km x 3 km anticlinal structure.
- Results are expected before year-end 2025.
Why it matters
- Their location was reprioritized using learnings from Naingopo-1, which confirmed Mulden and Otavi stratigraphy and ~52 m of net Otavi reservoir—data that de-risked subsequent Damara Fold Belt prospects.
- That increases the chance this is a high-quality test of the same regional carbonate-fold concept.
Relevance to Monitor
- PEL 93 in the Owambo Basin lies immediately West of ReconAfrica’s acreage, pursuing a very similar anticlinal/Otavi-carbonate play—so a positive outcome at Kavango West 1X would be directly supportive of Monitor’s subsurface model.
- Monitor view ReconAfrica’s location choice as strong and closely aligned to our play rationale, and we’re keenly anticipating results.
- The Kavango West 1X is ~100 km distant from PEL 93 identified prospect areas.
- The remaining differentiators are the larger size of Monitor’s best prospects and absence of risk related to volcanic intrusion on the Monitor license due the more central location on PEL 93.