Specialised equipment arriving from the United States will enable a critical horizontal drilling phase starting October, aiming to unlock the full production potential of the Huttenberg formation.
ReconAfrica is preparing to commence a significant 1,000-metre horizontal production test at its Kavango West 1X well in Namibia this October. The company announced that specialised equipment required for this next stage is expected to arrive on-site in September, marking a pivotal step in advancing its exploration and production efforts.
Chief Executive Brian Reinsborough explained that this horizontal drilling phase follows successful vertical testing of the Kavango West 1X well, where natural gas and potential liquids flowed to the surface from the Huttenberg formation without the need for initial stimulation. “The gas flowed to surface. That’s a really good sign. That means the reservoir really did not need any coaxing to produce to surface,” Reinsborough said.
During earlier vertical tests, ReconAfrica identified 76 metres of pay within the Huttenberg formation and observed encouraging reservoir pressure build-up in the deeper Otavi formation, suggesting reservoir recharge. Moving beyond vertical testing, the company plans to drill horizontally at around 2,700 metres depth, extending laterally up to 1,000 metres. This approach aims to intersect naturally occurring fractures across a larger reservoir section, increasing exposure well beyond what a vertical well could achieve.
“We think we can get probably about a thousand metres of section,” Reinsborough noted. “The importance of this is that when you go horizontal in a play like this, the concept is to intercept all the fractures perpendicular to the gross structure.” The horizontal section will be completed as an open hole, leaving the reservoir directly exposed to the wellbore without steel casing or cement, an approach chosen for its potential to provide the clearest insight into reservoir performance.
To support the enhanced testing, ReconAfrica is upgrading its equipment capacity, including adding a swab truck to remove fluids and larger pumps to inject greater volumes of acid into the reservoir. Additional steel and specialised apparatus are also being shipped to Namibia to ensure the operation’s success.
Reinsborough emphasised the significance of this upcoming test: “This horizontal well, we’re putting everything to it.” The test follows a recent announcement that hydrocarbons flowed from two separate zones within the Huttenberg during earlier production testing, confirming the presence of natural gas and potential liquids.
Beyond Kavango West 1X, the results from this horizontal programme could validate the broader geological concept across ReconAfrica’s Namibian acreage, where the company holds multiple prospects. “If this works, we have tremendous, tremendous running room,” Reinsborough said, highlighting the company’s 18 to 20 prospects awaiting further evaluation.
ReconAfrica operates PEL 73 in partnership with BW Energy and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia, holding a 70% working interest. BW Energy holds 20%, with NAMCOR carrying a 10% interest. Looking ahead, the company plans to follow the Kavango West 1X horizontal test with the Kavango West 2A appraisal well to better define the reservoir’s lateral extent and connectivity.
For now, ReconAfrica’s immediate focus is on the arrival of the specialised equipment in September and executing the most extensive production test of the Huttenberg formation yet in October, a crucial milestone in unlocking Namibia’s hydrocarbon potential.
