BP has confirmed, an oil and gas discovery in Orange Basin offshore Namibia where there happen to be supermajors who have made several major discoveries in recent years. The UK-based energy giant, which happens to be a co-venturer in the exploration license through its 50/50 company with Eni from Italy, Azule Energy, can go on to confirm the preliminary results of the Volans-1X exploration well, as reported by Rhino Resources, the operator, earlier in October 2025.
It is well to be noted that Petroleum Exploration License 85 – PEL85, where the well got drilled, happens to be operated by Rhino Resources, having a working interest of 42.5%. The co-venturers are Azule Energy, having 42.5%; NAMCOR, at 10%; as well as Korres Investments, with 5%.
Apparently, the exploration well went on to encounter 26 meters of net pay when it comes to rich gas condensate-bearing reservoirs, with the reservoir showing exceptional petrophysical properties and also no observed water contact, said BP on October 20, 2025. Initial laboratory evaluation of two samples went on to indicate a high condensate-to-gas ratio having a liquid density of almost 40° API gravity. The outcome, apparently, is going through further evaluation.
The Volans-1X well happens to be the third significant oil and gas discovery in 2025 as far as Azule Energy partners are concerned, following the Capricornus-1X light oil exploration in Namibia and the Gajajeira-01 gas discovery that took place in Angola.
Shell and TotalEnergies, as well as Portugal-based energy firm Galp, which are the other oil and gas supermajors, have already made certain large discoveries offshore Namibia. Graff from Shell and also the Venus discoveries from TotalEnergies have launched the exploration rush within the Namibian waters.
With oil and gas discovery in Orange Basin offshore Namibia, the country looks forward to becoming the next Guyana; however, it lacks infrastructure so as to fast-track discoveries, which go on to make them a tad more expensive and challenging to develop and also monetize.
Interestingly, BP, which in February 2025 went on to announce a major reset in strategy so as to slash investments within the renewables and focus on the core oil and gas business, has gone ahead and made 11 exploration discoveries in 2025 already throughout several basins, which include the Far South discovery in the Gulf of America along with a major discovery that was made in the Bumerangue block in the prolific Santos Basin of Brazil, which happens to be the biggest discovery by the supermajor in 25 years.
