Paper submitted to EAGE Sub-Saharan Africa Energy Forum, by Emily Kay (TGS)
Summary
The Namibian margin has emerged as a key exploration area following the 2022 Venus and Graff discoveries in the Orange Basin. While early deepwater drilling faced challenges due to variable reservoir quality in distal settings, recent successes (e.g., Mopane, Sagittarius-1X) have targeted inboard prospects with improved petrophysical properties. As exploration is anticipated to shift north into the Walvis and Lüderitz basins, understanding hinterland sediment sources, shelf entry points, and contourite influence is critical for de-risking reservoir presence and quality.
Regional 2D seismic mapping reveals major Cretaceous and Tertiary depositional fairways, shelf-edge deltas, and incision points linked to onshore drainage systems. The paleo-Orange River dominated sediment supply to the Orange Basin, while Walvis and Lüderitz received input from smaller seasonal rivers draining Proterozoic, Karoo, and volcanic terrains. Identified fairways include basin-floor fans, slope fans, and channel complexes, with evidence of stratigraphic trapping potential. Combining seismic mapping and provenance studies offers the potential to optimise exploration and reduce reservoir risk in these frontier basins.