ReconAfrica is a Canadian-based oil and gas company working collaboratively with national governments to explore the potential for oil and gas resources in Northeast Namibia on Petroleum Exploration Licence 073 ("PEL 73") and Northwest Botswana on Petroleum Exploration Licence 001 ("PEL 001").
To date, ReconAfrica has been granted licences by Namibia and Botswana to explore and confirm the presence of their hydrocarbon resources. Subject to declaring commerciality, the company is entitled to a long-term production licence to develop conventional hydrocarbons in collaboration with governments, our partners, and other key stakeholders. ReconAfrica has not applied for, does not have the intention to, nor been granted or given, permits to allow 'fracing' - a point which ReconAfrica, and the governments of Namiba and Botswana have publicly confirmed.
This project aims to prove potential economic reserves and support local content including local and regional jobs, national and regional suppliers and other ESG projects such as safe access to potable water, educational and training opportunities and funding in environmental and wildlife conservation, amongst others.
Should oil and gas be discovered and commercialized, the traditional authorities and elected governments of Namibia and Botswana will determine how they will manage their resources.
ReconAfrica is a Canadian oil and gas company engaged in the exploration of PEL 73, in the Kalahari Desert of northeastern Namibia and PEL 001 in northwestern Botswana. ReconAfrica holds a 70% working interest ("WI") in PEL 73 in NE Namibia (BW Energy 20% WI, NAMCOR 10% WI), covering two major play types, the Damara Fold Belt and Kavango Rift Basin, and a 100% interest in PEL 001 in NW Botswana. The exploration licences cover an area of 25,341.33 km2 (6.3 million acres) in Namibia and 7,592 km2 (1.9 million acres) in Botswana. Based on commercial success, ReconAfrica is entitled to 25-year production licences over any commercial discovery. In all aspects of its operations, ReconAfrica is committed to minimal disturbances and environment, social and governance (ESG) approach to business.
In June 2021, ReconAfrica announced the execution of a Joint Operating Agreement (“JOA”) with the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) to develop the resource potential of the Kavango Sedimentary Basin in Northeast Namibia. Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly pursue an ongoing petroleum exploration program in Namibia, with ReconAfrica covering the full costs to commerciality. The two companies initially entered into a Petroleum Exploration Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Namibia, under which they acquired PEL 73.
ReconAfrica continues to work with Botswana authorities to define an exploration program, the licence for PEL 001 signed in 2020.
ReconAfrica is working collaboratively with national governments, Traditional Authorities and local stakeholders to manage its program to explore oil and gas potential in Northeast Namibia and Northwest Botswana – the Kavango Sedimentary Basin. To date, ReconAfrica has been granted licences by Namibia (PEL 073) and Botswana (PEL 001) to explore and confirm the presence of their hydrocarbon resources. Our company works closely with our joint-venture partner NAMCOR, in Namibia, on all exploration activities.
ReconAfrica originally acquired a high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the license area and conducted a detailed analysis of the resulting data and other available data, including reprocessing and reinterpretation of all existing geological and geophysical data. The survey and analysis confirmed that the Kavango Sedimentary Basin reaches depths of up to 9,000 metres (30,000 feet).
Our current activities are for exploration purposes and as with oil and gas development worldwide, the initial target is conventional oil and gas systems. ReconAfrica has received from the Government of Namibia to drill conventional stratigraphic wells, conduct seismic programs, complete Enhanced Full Tensor Gravity (eFTG) surveys, drill exploration and appraisal wells. The Company completed data integration and interpretation from the data gathered during drilling the stratigraphic wells, conducting seismic and eFTG surveys. These steps have been invaluable for our next phase of exploration activities and they include drilling exploration and appraisal wells, commenced in summer 2024 and further seismic programs.
In addition to the results from the first two exploratory wells, future drilling locations will target potential hydrocarbon bearing structures from the seismic program with the purpose of achieving commercial levels of oil and natural gas production. A third well was drilled in 2022 and an extensive second phase of seismic data was acquired. As well, Enhanced Full Tensor Gravity data (eFTG), a relatively new technology, was acquired in early 2023 and all of these exploration activities helped to assess and delineate the Kavango Basin and its associated hydrocarbon plays and prospects. Exploration and appraisal wells commenced to be drilled in July 2024. ReconAfrica has no plans, permits or licence to produce oil and gas or conduct hydrofracturing (fracing).
Any and all measurements, tests and samples taken during our current drilling program are owned and managed by Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy.
While we are at a much earlier stage in Botswana, ReconAfrica also continues to complete desktop studies and research analysis to define an exploration programme.
Should oil and gas be discovered, the Traditional Authorities and elected governments of Namibia and Botswana will determine how they will manage their resources.