Namibia Oil Blocks Map: Complete Guide to PEL Licenses 2026
Visual guide to Namibia's 30+ offshore petroleum exploration licenses (PELs). Learn which blocks Shell, TotalEnergies, Galp, and Chevron operate, where discoveries have been made, and which acreage offers the best investment exposure.
Namibia's offshore is divided into 30+ petroleum exploration licenses (PELs) spanning three major basins: Orange, Walvis, and Luderitz. Understanding which blocks hold the most promise—and which companies control them—is critical for investors.
This guide maps out every major PEL, the operators behind them, discoveries made, and which blocks offer the best risk-adjusted investment exposure.
Strategic Position Across 5 Namibia Oil Blocks
Stamper Oil & Gas holds working interests and carried interests across 5 carefully selected blocks in Orange, Walvis, and Luderitz basins—adjacent to Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp's major discoveries.
GET DETAILED INVESTOR INFORMATION →Orange Basin Blocks (South): The Proven Hotspot
The Orange Basin, offshore southern Namibia, hosts 80%+ of discovered oil. Here are the key blocks:
PEL 39 - Shell (Graff/La Rona Discovery) 🐚
Block Details:
- • Operator: Shell (90%)
- • Partner: NAMCOR (10%)
- • Size: 8,215 km²
- • Water depth: 2,000-2,500m
Discoveries:
- • Graff: 2.5-3B barrels (Feb 2022)
- • La Rona: 0.5-1B barrels (2024)
- • Total: 3-4 billion barrels BOIP
- • Status: Pre-FID, targeting Q4 2029
Investor Exposure:
Direct Shell ownership (NYSE: SHEL). Adjacent block holders include Eco Atlantic, NAMCOR partners.
PEL 56 - TotalEnergies (Venus Discovery) ⚡
Block Details:
- • Operator: TotalEnergies (40%)
- • Partners: QatarEnergy (30%), Impact (20%), NAMCOR (10%)
- • Size: 8,125 km²
- • Water depth: 2,900-3,000m
Discoveries:
- • Venus: 2.6 billion barrels (Feb 2022)
- • Appraisal: 3 wells completed
- • Total: 2.6 billion barrels BOIP
- • Status: Appraisal complete, FID 2027
Investor Exposure:
Best access via Impact Oil & Gas (ASX: IPT) with 20% stake. Pure-play Namibia exposure.
PEL 83 - Galp (Mopane Discovery) 🇵🇹
Block Details:
- • Operator: Galp (80%)
- • Partners: NAMCOR (10%), Custos (10%)
- • Size: 10,064 km²
- • Water depth: 2,200-2,600m
Discoveries:
- • Mopane: 10+ billion barrels (Jan 2024) ⭐⭐⭐
- • Appraisal: 5+ wells completed
- • Total: Largest Namibia discovery
- • Status: Appraisal ongoing, FID 2027-2028
Investor Exposure:
Galp Energia (ELI: GALP / OTCMKTS: GLPEY). Custos private. Limited junior partner exposure.
PEL 82 - Chevron/NAMCOR 🇺🇸
Block Details:
- • Operator: Chevron (80%)
- • Partner: NAMCOR (20%)
- • Size: 5,291 km²
- • Water depth: 1,800-2,400m
Status:
- • Discovery: None yet
- • Drilling: Planned 2026-2027
- • Potential: 1-3 billion barrels (est)
- • Risk: Higher (unproven)
Investor Exposure:
Chevron (NYSE: CVX) only. High-risk/high-reward exploration play.
PEL 28 & 87 - Eco Atlantic/QatarEnergy
Block Details:
- • Blocks: PEL 28 (Cooper), PEL 87 (Sharon)
- • Operator: TBD (farm-out expected)
- • Current owner: Eco Atlantic
- • Size: Combined 11,000+ km²
Status:
- • Discovery: None (not drilled)
- • Status: Seeking farm-out partner
- • Potential: 2-5 billion barrels (est)
- • Adjacent to: Shell's PEL 39
Investor Exposure:
Eco Atlantic (TSX-V: EOG, AIM: ECO). High-risk junior explorer. Farm-out expected 2026.
Walvis Basin Blocks (Central): Emerging Potential
The Walvis Basin, offshore central Namibia, is less explored but showing encouraging signs:
PEL 81 - Galp/Namcor (Mangetti Discovery)
Block Details:
- • Operator: Galp (80%)
- • Partner: NAMCOR (20%)
- • Size: 9,307 km²
- • Water depth: 2,500-3,200m
Status:
- • Discovery: Mangetti (oil shows 2025)
- • Resources: 0.5-1 billion barrels (early est)
- • Status: Appraisal drilling 2026-2027
PEL 37 - Chevron/NAMCOR (Exploration)
Block Details:
- • Operator: Chevron (80%)
- • Partner: NAMCOR (20%)
- • Size: 6,037 km²
- • Basin: Walvis (frontier)
Status:
- • Discovery: None yet
- • Drilling: Expected 2026-2027
- • Potential: 1-2 billion barrels
Luderitz Basin Blocks (South-Deep): High Risk/High Reward
The Luderitz Basin, offshore Namibia's southern coast, remains largely frontier territory:
PEL 85 - Shell/QatarEnergy
- • Operator: Shell (50%)
- • Partner: QatarEnergy (50%)
- • Size: 7,596 km²
- • Basin: Luderitz (deep frontier)
- • Status: Exploration phase
- • Drilling: TBD (2027-2028 est)
- • Potential: 2-5 billion barrels (speculative)
PEL 84 - TotalEnergies/QatarEnergy
- • Operator: TotalEnergies (40%)
- • Partner: QatarEnergy (60%)
- • Size: 8,339 km²
- • Status: Early exploration
- • Potential: 1-3 billion barrels
Complete Block Inventory: All Major PELs
| PEL # | Operator | Basin | Discovery | Size (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEL 39 | Shell (90%) | Orange | Graff/La Rona (3-4B) | 8,215 |
| PEL 56 | TotalEnergies (40%) | Orange | Venus (2.6B) | 8,125 |
| PEL 83 | Galp (80%) | Orange | Mopane (10B+) | 10,064 |
| PEL 81 | Galp (80%) | Walvis | Mangetti (0.5-1B) | 9,307 |
| PEL 82 | Chevron (80%) | Orange | None (drilling 2026) | 5,291 |
| PEL 28 | Eco Atlantic | Orange | None (seeking farm-out) | 5,668 |
| PEL 87 | Eco Atlantic | Orange | None (seeking farm-out) | 5,266 |
| PEL 37 | Chevron (80%) | Walvis | Exploration 2026-27 | 6,037 |
| PEL 84 | TotalEnergies (40%) | Luderitz | Frontier (future) | 8,339 |
| PEL 85 | Shell (50%) | Luderitz | Frontier (future) | 7,596 |
Block Selection Strategy: What Makes a Good Block?
Not all blocks are created equal. Here's how to evaluate PEL quality:
✅ 8 Factors for Evaluating Namibia Oil Blocks
- Basin quality: Orange Basin proven (87% success rate). Walvis/Luderitz = frontier (higher risk).
- Proximity to discoveries: Blocks adjacent to Shell/Galp/TotalEnergies = de-risked by analogue.
- Operator quality: Supermajor operator? Or junior explorer needing farm-out?
- Water depth: 2,000-3,000m = sweet spot. Shallower = too expensive for huge reserves. Deeper = very high cost.
- Block size: 5,000-10,000 km² ideal. Too small = limited upside. Too large = exploration takes decades.
- Seismic data quality: Modern 3D seismic? Or old 2D surveys?
- Drilling timeline: Near-term catalyst (6-18 months) vs long-term (3-5 years)?
- Ownership structure: Carried interest (no dilution) vs working interest (requires capital)?
Best Blocks for Investors (Ranked)
Tier 1: Proven Discoveries (Lowest Risk)
- • PEL 83 (Galp - Mopane): 10B+ barrels proven. Appraisal complete by 2026. FID 2027-2028. ⭐⭐⭐
- • PEL 39 (Shell - Graff): 3-4B barrels. First oil Q4 2029. Fastest to production. ⭐⭐⭐
- • PEL 56 (TotalEnergies - Venus): 2.6B barrels. Best retail investor access (Impact). ⭐⭐⭐
Strategy: Lowest risk, moderate upside (100-300%). Best for conservative investors.
Tier 2: Adjacent to Discoveries (Medium Risk)
- • PEL 28/87 (Eco Atlantic): Adjacent to Shell PEL 39. Farm-out expected 2026. ⭐⭐
- • PEL 82 (Chevron): Orange Basin, between Shell and Galp. Drilling 2026. ⭐⭐
- • PEL 81 (Galp - Mangetti): Oil shows confirmed 2025. Walvis Basin. ⭐⭐
Strategy: Medium risk, high upside (300-1000%). For balanced portfolios.
Tier 3: Frontier Exploration (High Risk)
- • PEL 84/85 (Luderitz Basin): Undrilled deepwater. Shell/TotalEnergies operators. ⭐
- • PEL 37 (Chevron - Walvis): Frontier basin, no discoveries yet. ⚠️
- • Various junior blocks: Tower Resources, Pancontinental, etc. ⚠️⚠️
Strategy: High risk, very high upside (1000%+ or -80%). For aggressive investors only.
How to Use This Block Map for Investment Decisions
4-Step Block Analysis Framework
Step 1: Identify the Basin
• Orange Basin = proven (prioritize)
• Walvis Basin = emerging (moderate risk)
• Luderitz Basin = frontier (high risk)
Step 2: Check Operator Quality
• Supermajor (Shell, Total, Galp, Chevron) = best
• Mid-tier (with supermajor farm-in) = good
• Junior alone (no partner) = avoid
Step 3: Evaluate Discovery Status
• Discovery + appraisal = low risk
• Adjacent to discovery = medium risk
• Frontier (no nearby wells) = high risk
Step 4: Assess Investor Access
• Publicly traded partner with significant stake = best
• Adjacent block holder = indirect exposure
• Supermajor only = limited retail upside
The Bottom Line: Understanding Namibia's Oil Block Map
Key Takeaways
- ✅ 30+ PELs across Namibia's offshore (3 basins)
- ✅ Orange Basin = proven (PEL 39, 56, 83 = 15B+ barrels)
- ✅ Walvis Basin = emerging (PEL 81 = first oil shows)
- ✅ Luderitz Basin = frontier (PEL 84, 85 = unexplored)
- ✅ 5 supermajors active (Shell, Total, Galp, Chevron, Woodside)
- ✅ Best investor access: Impact Oil & Gas (PEL 56 - 20%), Galp (PEL 83 - 80%)
- ✅ Highest potential blocks: PEL 83 (10B+), PEL 39 (3-4B), PEL 56 (2.6B)
For investors, the block map reveals where the value is: Orange Basin blocks adjacent to proven discoveries offer the best risk-adjusted returns.
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Strategic Multi-Block Exposure Across All 3 Basins
Rather than betting on a single block, Stamper Oil & Gas provides diversified exposure across 5 strategically selected blocks in Orange, Walvis, and Luderitz basins. Carried interests and working interests alongside Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp.
GET DETAILED INVESTOR INFORMATION →