Shell, alongside its partners QatarEnergy and NAMCOR, has reported encouraging exploration results from its Merlin-1X exploration well in Petroleum Exploration Licence No. 0039 (PEL 0039), offshore Namibia, further advancing its evaluation of this Orange Basin block.
The Merlin-1X well, spudded on 8 April 2026, is the tenth well drilled in the licence, which is operated by Shell. It successfully penetrated the Coniacian play and has delivered the most promising subsurface results to date in PEL 0039. This indicates good reservoir quality with light oil and limited associated gas, compared to prior results within the licence.
The results enhance Shell’s understanding of the basin and support continued evaluation of the resource and its commercial potential across the licence. Further drilling later in 2026 is under consideration as part of a broader exploratory appraisal programme.
Eugene Okpere, Shell’s Executive Vice President for Exploration, Strategy and Portfolio, said: 'These are encouraging results that add to our understanding of the Orange Basin potential. We are progressing this opportunity through a disciplined, data-led approach to establish commerciality, focusing our investment on options that are material, competitive and resilient within our portfolio. This is built on strong partnership and alignment, and I thank the Government of the Republic of Namibia, our partners and all teams involved.'
Source: Shell
