Shell to launch new drilling campaign offshore Namibia from April 2026

The company is circling back to the petroleum exploration license (PEL) 39 block offshore Namibia after writing down around $400 million in January over an oil discovery it deemed commercially unviable.

The Orange Basin, where the block is located and which extends into South African waters, has been a global exploration hotspot for energy firms after discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies and Galp.