TotalEnergies, Galp reaffirm Namibia commitment as Venus, Mopane projects advance

TotalEnergies and Galp updated the government of Namibia on the status of their offshore partnership in the Orange basin, outlining development timelines for the Venus and Mopane discoveries following a high-level meeting in Windhoek. 

The companies met with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to discuss the transition of operatorship and upcoming technical work across several deepwater licenses. Under the recently announced agreement, TotalEnergies will become operator of Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 83, which contains the Mopane discoveries, while Galp will take interests in PEL 56 and PEL 91, home to the Venus discovery.

According to the companies, planning is underway to support a potential final investment decision (FID) on the Venus project in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and project readiness. At Mopane, an exploration and appraisal program comprising three wells is scheduled to begin in 2026 to further delineate resources and advance development planning.

The partners said discussions with the government also covered local employment, skills development and supply-chain participation, as well as regulatory coordination to support upcoming offshore activities.

Namibia’s Orange basin has emerged as one of the most active deepwater exploration areas globally following a series of major discoveries since 2022, with multiple international operators advancing appraisal and development concepts across the basin.