isiZulu
Ukuphathwa Okuqinile, Ikhwalithi Kuqala, Isevisi Ekhwalithi, Nokwaneliseka Kwekhasimende
Inkulu yamafutha imemezela ukutholakala okukhulu kukaphethiloli negesi!
Muva nje, inhlangano ehola iShell, kanye neQatarEnergy kanye nenkampani kawoyela kazwelonke yaseNamibia iNAMCOR, imemezele ukutholakala ngempumelelo kukayelisi olukhanyayo olusezingeni eliphezulu nge-Merlin-1X exploration well ku-Petroleum Exploration License PEL 0039, etholakala e-Orange Basin ngaphandle kweNamibia. Leli yikhona ikhona lekhulu lokuhlola elishonisiwe ngaphansi kwelayisensi, futhi liyisimo esithembisa kakhulu esitholakale ebhulokini kuze kube manje, siqinisa isikhundla saseNamibia njengendawo ebalulekile emhlabeni wonke kawoyela negesi olwandle olujulile.
Ngokwedatha eyembulwe yi-NAMCOR njalo embonini phakathi kuka-2023 no-2025, izinsiza zikadali negesi ezitholakele ngaphansi kolwandle lwaseNamibia kulindeleke ukuthi zibe phakathi kwamabhodlela angu-11 kuya ku-20 wezigidigidi zikadali, okwenza izwe libe elinye lamalwandle ajulile aphumelela kakhulu emhlabeni ngokukhula kwezinsiza okusheshayo.
- Ukuphumelela Okukhulu Kwe-Shell "Okuthembisa Kakhulu" E-Namibia
Umhubhe wokuhlola i-Merlin-1X, owavulwa ngo-Ephreli 2026 endaweni ejulile kakhulu engaba ngu-250 km ukusuka ogwini oluseNingizimu yeNamibia, uphumelele ukuthola izindawo ezinodali zesikhathi seConiacian. Imiphumela ye-geological ijabule umboni: ikhwalithi enhle yendawo yokugcina, uqalo olukhanyayo olunegesi elincane kuphela elihambisana nalo, nokusebenza okuphelele okungcono kakhulu kunayo yonke imibhobho eyayishayiwe ngaphansi kwelayisensi yangaphambili.
U-Eugene Okpere, iPhini likaMongameli Omkhulu wezokuhlola, isu kanye ne-Portfolio kwa-Shell, uphawule ngempumelelo: “Le miphumela ekhuthazayo yandisa ukuqonda kwethu ngamandla e-Orange Basin.” Ugcizelele ukuthi i-Shell iqhubekisela phambili leli thuba ngokusebenzisa “indlela eqinile, esekelwe kudatha” ukuze kutholwe ukuthi ingaba yinzuzo yini, futhi izogxila ekutshaleni izimali “ezinkethweni ezibalulekile, ezincintisanayo nezimelana nezimo” ngaphakathi kwe-portfolio yayo.
Kubalulekile ukuqaphela ukuthi uhambo lokuhlola lwe-Shell ku-PEL 0039 aluzange lube lula. Ngaphambili, i-Shell yayibhobole imigodi eminingi yokuhlola ngaphansi kwelayisensi, okubalwa kuwo i-Graff-1X, i-La Rona-1X, i-Jonker-1X, i-Lesedi-1X, i-Cullinan-1X, kanye ne-Enigma-1X.
NgoJanuwari 2025, iShell yanciphisa inani lempahla yalo mkhakha ngamaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-400, ibala ukukhathazeka ngokuhamba kwamanzi emithonjeni (ukucabanga komkhakha kwakubhekise kakhulu kumthelela omubi wokuboshwa kwe-chlorite emithonjeni ethile) kanye nokulindela kwesikhathi eside amanani kawoyela. Lesi sinqumo sike sabangela ukungabaza okubanzi embonini.
Ukutholakala kweMerlin-1X, okwaqashwa yiShell nabalingani bayo njengokuthi "umphumela othembisa kakhulu ongaphansi komhlaba otholakale kuze kube manje ngaphakathi kwelayisensi," kuphinde kwashintsha kakhulu indaba yokuhlola yalo mkhakha futhi kunikeza ukwesekwa okuyinhloko kwezinto eziphilayo esinqumweni sokugcina sokutshala izimali (FID).
Ukwakheka kwezabelo ze-Merlin-1X kubonisa ukubandakanyeka okujulile kwe-QatarEnergy ezimpahleni zamazwe ngamazwe ezinyathelo zokuthola uwoyela negesi eminyakeni yamuva. Kuleli layisensi, i-Shell ne-QatarEnergy ngalinye linamaphesenti angu-45%, kanti i-NAMCOR inamaphesenti angu-10 asele. I-QatarEnergy iphethe izincwadi ezine zokuhlola ezisogwini lolwandle eNamibia (PEL 0039, PEL 0056, PEL 0091, kanye PEL 0090), ezihlanganisa indawo engaba yi-34,000 square kilometers. USaad Sherida Al-Kaabi, uMongameli kanye no-CEO we-QatarEnergy, uchaze ukutholakala njengokuthi "isinyathelo esibalulekile esiqinisa kakhulu ukuzethemba ku-Orange Basin njengesifunda esiphuma phambili sezimboni zikagesi negesi emhlabeni wonke, esihambisana necebo le-QatarEnergy lokwandisa ipotifuliyo yalo yamazwe ngamazwe ngokuhlola okunamandla amakhulu."
Ngokwezinhlelo ezembulwe yiShell, iPEL 0039 izoqhubeka nokuhlola nokuhlola ukugawula ngo-2026 ukuze kucaciswe izinsiza futhi kulinganiselwe amandla okuthuthukiswa.
- Amatholakala aphezulu angu-5 e-Orange Basin yaseNamibia
Indaba yokuqala ngobunzulu be-Orange Basin yaseNamibia yaqala "ngokuqhuma okuphindwe kabili" ekuqaleni kuka-2022: i-Graff-1X ye-Shell kanye ne-Venus-1X ye-TotalEnergies yamenyezelwa ukutholakala okukhulu kwamafutha alula ngesikhathi esifanayo. Emashumini amane kuphela eminyaka, le basin isifinyelele izinga lokuphumelela kwezitholakala ezingama-60%, okudlula kakhulu isilinganiso sama-16% kwezinye izindawo ezintsha e-Afrika. Izinsiza ezitholakele sezidlula amabhalaji ayizigidi eziyisithupha amafutha alingana, futhi isivinini sokuqala sifana nokutholakala okukhulu eGuyana ekupheleni kweminyaka yama-2000. Ngokusekelwe osayizi bokutholakala kanye nomthelela embonini, izitholakala ezinhlanu eziphezulu ku-Orange Basin yaseNamibia zingahlukaniswa ngokulandelayo:
Isikhundla Esiphezulu Sabayisihlanu (silinganiselwe ngezinsiza ezikhona)
Inombolo 1: I-Galp Mopane Complex (PEL 83) – Ngo-2024, i-Galp yasePortugal yamemezela ukuthi isakhiwo iMopane singase siqukethe izinsiza zamafutha angaba izigidigidi ezingu-10 zamabhalela. Ngokulinganiselwa okukhulu kunakho konke kuze kube manje, sibeka isikhundla sokuqala futhi saqanjwa ngokuthi “Ukutholwa Konyaka ka-2025” yiWood Mackenzie. I-Galp iphethe u-80% kuleli bhulokhi, kanti i-NAMCOR neCustos ngalinye linamaphesenti angu-10.
Inombolo 2: I-TotalEnergies Venus-1X (PEL 56) – Kulinganiselwa ukuthi kunezinsiza zamalitha kawoyela angaba izigidigidi ezingu-5.1, kanti ujula olwandle bungamamitha angu-3,000. Yikho ukutholwa okujulile, okuyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, futhi okubeka isibonelo esikhulu kakhulu emanzini ajulile esifundeni kuze kube manje. Isinqumo sokugcina sokutshala izimali (FID) sihlelelwe u-2026, kanti uwoyela wokuqala uhloselwe u-2029–2030.
No. 3: Shell Graff-1X & Jonker-1X (PEL 0039) – Lezi zinsiza ezimbili zifaka ndawonye cishe ama-barrels angama-5.0 billion wezinsiza ze-oyela. Nokho, ukuvuleka kwe-reservoir ebhange kube yisihloko sokuxoxisana kwe-Shell (ukuhlanganiswa kwe-chlorite kuthinta ezinye izinqolobane), futhi idatha enkulu yokuhlola izodingeka ukuze kutholakale ivolumu yezinsiza.
No. 4: Rhino Resources / Azule Energy Capricornus-1X & Volans-1X (PEL 85) – Ngo-2025, iRhino yaqinisekisa ukutholakala kukaphethiloli olungelula kuCapricornus-1X. Ngo-Okthoba ngalowo nyaka ofanayo, iAzule Energy (i-joint venture engu-50/50 phakathi kweBP neEni) yaqinisekisa ukutholakala kwegesi le-condensate nge-well iVolans-1X, enenani elingu-26 metres we-condensate-bearing reservoir ku-API gravity engu-40°. Lokhu kubonisa kokubili okubalulekile kumhloli ozimele iRhino kanye nendawo yokungena ebalulekile yeBP neEni eNamibia ngeAzule.
No. 5: Pancontinental PEL 87 Saturn Complex & Phoebe West / Northern Channel – Izakhiwo ezinamandla aphezulu ezitholakele ngaphakathi kwalesi silayidi zine-akhawunti ephelele yeziqinisekiso ezifika ku-6.1 billion ama-barrels e-oyela afanayo (okukhiphayo), kodwa ucwaningo lusemkhakheni wokuqala ngaphandle kokuthi kube ne-drilling okwamanje, ngakho-ke ibalwa njengokwesihlanu.
I-Orange Basin eNamibia isiphenduke indawo yokulwa yezinkampani ezinkulu zamandla emhlabeni: iShell (ene-45% ku-PEL 0039) kanye neTotalEnergies (ene-Venus) zihola isigaba sokuqala. I-QatarEnergy, ephethe izincwadi ezine ezihlanganisa indawo enkulu kakhulu, imele imali yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi eyingxenye ye-Orange Basin. I-BP kanye ne-Eni bangene ngokungaqondile nge-Azule Energy abayihlanganyela. I-Chevron yenze ukungena okusheshayo ngokuthola isabelo esingu-80% ku-PEL 82 block ngo-2025. I-ExxonMobil ne-Woodside nazo zithole amalungelo okuhlola. Ngisho ne-Petrobras yaseBrazil kanye ne-ADNOC yase-Abu Dhabi seziqale ukunaka inqubo yokuthengisa impahla yeGalp mayelana neMopane complex.
- Namibia’s Future Opportunities: Challenges and Prospects from Exploration Hotspot to Development Hub
Ngokombiko we-Africa Energy Outlook 2026 owakhishwe yi-African Energy Chamber, "ama-wells anomthelela omkhulu" esifundeni esingaphansi kwe-Orange eNamibia abhale izinga lokuphumelela elingu-60% kusukela ngo-2022. Ngokuhlanganiswa nesivinini sokutholwa esidlula amabhalela ayizigidi eziyisithupha (6 billion) amafutha afanayo kusukela ngo-2022, lokhu kwenze izwe laba yisibonelo sangempela somhlaba wonke sokuhlola okungaphambili. Kodwa-ke, ngasikhathi sinye, "izinkinga ezingaphezu komhlaba" zaseNamibia – ukungaqiniseki kwezinqubomgomo, izinhlaka zezikhungo ezingaphelele, kanye nokushoda kwengqalasizinda – ziba yizithiyo eziyinhloko ezichaza isivinini sokuguqulwa kwaba yimali. Amandla okusekela engqalasizinda yamachweba endawo ahlala ebuthakathaka, futhi uhlelo lomthetho olungaphambili lusadinga ukuthuthukiswa. Le ngokoqobo "ye-policy lag" idale ukubambezeleka ekusayinweni kwezinqumo zokutshalwa kwezimali zokugcina (FIDs) kwamanye amabhulokhi anokutholwa okubalulekile.
Nokho-ke, lezi zinkinga "zezindleko ezingabuyeleli" azikwazi ukushintsha iqiniso lezinto zemvelo — amandla e-Orange Basin abonakala ngokwengeziwe afana ne-Guyana njengoba "isifunda esilandelayo esikhulu sokukhiqiza uwoyela ku-South Atlantic." Izikhungo eziningana eziphethe igunya zocwaningo sezivele zibikezile ukuthi phakathi kuka-2030 no-2035, ngokuthuthukiswa kwe-Venus, i-Mopane kanye ne-PEL 0039, ukukhiqizwa kukawoyela okuphezulu kweNamibia kungafinyelela ku-380,000–500,000 amabareli ngosuku, okudlula kakhulu amazinga amanje amazwe amanye amalungu e-OPEC e-Afrika.
Ebaleni likawoyela emhlabeni wonke, iNamibia yayingumkhokha owakhohliwe; namuhla, ukutholwa okuphumelelayo kwe-Orange Basin sekubeke le "isifundazwe esikhulu samafutha negesi esingaba khona" eNingizimu ye-Atlantic phezulu ezindabeni zomhlaba jikelele. Kulindeleke ukuthi phakathi kuka-2026–2027, izinqumo zokutshala izimali zokugcina zizoqala ngokulandelana kwezintuthuko ze-Venus, iMopane kanye ne-Shell. Lelizwe, elathola impumelelo yalo yokuqala eminyakeni emine eyedlule, kungenzeka libe nomthelela omkhulu ekukhuleni kokuhlinzekwa kwamafutha negesi emanzini ajulile ase-Afrika kuleminyaka eyishumi ezayo. Njengoba omunye umphathi we-Shell asho: "Indaba yeNamibia ayikhulumi ngokuthi amafutha negesi akhona yini, kodwa ngokuthi singakwazi yini ukuvula izindawo zokumba ezingaba nenzuzo." Futhi impendulo yeMerlin 1X kungenzeka kakhulu ithi: "Yebo, singakwazi."
Ucingo