Northern Ocean’s semisub Deepsea Mira has spud the Marula-1X exploration well in the Orange Basin offshore southern Namibia.
The well, in the southern part of Block 2913B, operated by TotalEnergies, will target Albian sandstones within the Marula fan complex.
According to partner Impact Oil & Gas, the area is within the source rock kitchen for the Kudu gas field. Later this year, the rig will drill Olympe, another Albian prospect within a structural closure on Block 2912.
Recently, Deepsea Mira completed drilling and a drillstem test for the partnership on the Tamboti-1X exploration well, 25 km north-northwest of the Venus 12A well in Block 2913B. It encountered black oil in lower-quality Upper Cretaceous sandstones, part of the Mangetti fan system, before reaching total depth of 6,450m MD.
Studies continued for the proposed Venus development, set to be the first on Block 2913B and potentially producing 150,000 bbl/d of ~45°API oil, Impact said. FID should follow by the first half of 2026.
PEL 56, covering Block 2913B, is in water depths of up to 3,000 m. QatarEnergy and NAMCOR are the other partners.
Venus was proven in 2022 and has since been appraised through testing of the Venus-1X side-track well, Venus-1A, Venus-2A and Mangetti-1X.
