TotalEnergies Becomes Operator of Namibia's Mopane Oil Discoveries

TotalEnergies has completed its entry into Petroleum Exploration Licence 83 in Namibia's Orange Basin, assuming the role of operator with a 40% interest. The license contains the Mopane discoveries, which hold an estimated 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The ownership structure of the license now consists of TotalEnergies and Galp each holding 40%, while the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia and Custos Energy (Pty) Ltd. each hold 10%. Sintana Energy maintains an indirect 4.9% interest through its stake in Custos Energy.

As the new operator, TotalEnergies plans to launch a three-well exploration and appraisal campaign in the fourth quarter of 2026. This campaign is intended to inform a potential final investment decision for phase 1 development in 2028, with a target for first oil production by 2032. Robert Bose, CEO of Sintana Energy, described the entry of TotalEnergies as a defining milestone for the project and the joint venture.