Canadian oil and gas company Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) has issued an update on the drilling progress at its Kavango West 1X exploration well in Namibia.

The well, where drilling began on 31 July 2025, is currently working through an 8.5in section at a depth of around 1,910m.

Reconnaissance Energy Africa president and CEO Brian Reinsborough said: "Our operations team members in Namibia are doing an excellent job on the drilling the Kavango West well, both efficiently and safely. Drilling remains on schedule – we expect to reach total depth by the end of November.

“We anticipate entering the Otavi reservoir, the primary target for the Damara Fold Belt Play, in October and plan to penetrate over 1,500m of potential reservoir section before reaching TD [total depth]. We look forward to reporting results of this play opening well to all stakeholders around year-end."

The company has outlined the next steps in the drilling process, which include setting the final casing string at around 2,400m.

Drilling will then proceed into the Otavi reservoir zone in October, with plans to drill around 1,500m of the reservoir prior to reaching an estimated total depth of 3,800–4,250m by the end of November.

ReconAfrica plans to release comprehensive well results around the year's end.

In a strategic move earlier this year, ReconAfrica entered into a memorandum of understanding with the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency of Angola to explore the Etosha-Okavango basin onshore Angola.

This follows the company's drilling operations at the Naingopo exploration well at Petroleum Exploration Licence 073 in onshore Namibia, completed in November of the previous year.