Shell is gearing up to restart exploration activities offshore Namibia, targeting the PEL 39 block in the Orange Basin from April 2026. The project will be carried out in partnership with QatarEnergy and Namibia’s state-owned Namcor, the company confirmed.

The energy giant has awarded a contract for the Deepsea Mira drilling rig, operated by Odfjell Drilling and owned by Northern Ocean, to support the upcoming campaign. Eduardo Rodriguez, Shell’s country chair in Namibia, announced the development on LinkedIn.

This marks Shell’s return to the PEL 39 block after the company had earlier written down about $400 million in January, following an oil find it deemed commercially unviable. The Orange Basin has drawn increasing attention from global oil firms, including TotalEnergies and Galp, after recent discoveries in the area.

Namibia has yet to produce commercial oil but aims to start output by 2030, positioning the country as an emerging player in the regional energy sector.