- Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has responded in a press statement that it has issued a (Petroleum Exploration Licence 73) PEL 73 to Reconnaissance Energy Namibia Pty Ltd (“Recon”) for the purpose to explore for hydrocarbons.
- The ministry stressed that the license does not included fracking activities in the Okavango Delta.
The MME further stated that the locations for the planned drilling are not located along the banks of the Okavango River. The regulator further stated that on record, no onshore Production Licence for PEL 73 has been applied for/or granted and no Licence for the development of unconventional resources (E.g. Shale gas) has ever been applied for/or granted in Namibia. This means that on record, no hydraulic fracking activities are planned in Namibia.
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Link to full press statement HERE
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ReconAfrica holds a 90% interest in a petroleum exploration licence in northeast Namibia. The exploration license covers the entire Kavango sedimentary basin an area of approximately 25,341.33 sq km (6.3 million acres), and based on commercial success, it entitles ReconAfrica to obtain a 25 year production licence. The Kavango Basin offers a thick Permian sequence that we believe will supply a huge conventional oil play.
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Also, ReconAfrica holds a 100% interest in a petroleum licence, northwest Botswana which comprises an area of approximately 9,921 sq km (2.45 million acres) and is contiguous to the Namibian licence. The two licences together comprise 35,262.33 sq km (8.75 million acres).
Author: Bryan Groenendaal