Africa-Press – Namibia. RECONAFRICA, the Canadian oil and gas company engaged in the exploration and development of oil and gas in Namibia and Botswana, insists that the people of Namibia will determine, through their traditional authorities and elected government, how natural resources will be used.
In a press statement, Maria Hamutenya, spokesperson of the ReconAfrica, said that the company is exploring in Namibia and Botswana at the invitation of the national governments.
“We have, in Namibia, consulted extensively with communities, traditional authorities, local, regional and national governments, as well a range of other relevant stakeholders regarding both the seismic and stratigraphic programs,” Hamutenya said.
She added that in Namibia, ReconAfrica has a joint operating agreement with the state-owned oil-and-gas company, NamCor.
“Ultimately, the people of Namibia and Botswana, through their traditional authorities, elected governments, and regulatory agencies, will determine how they will manage their natural resources,“ Hanumtenya said.
Explaining how Namibians could benefit from the discovery of oil in the Okavango Besin, Immanual Mulunga, the chief executive officer of NamCor, said that the Joint Operating Agreement allows for NamCor to have a 10% stake in yields given by EP.
Further to this, Mulunga stated that government would benefit in tax and royalties from oil findings in the basin.
Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly pursue an ongoing petroleum exploration program in the Kavango East and Kavango West regions of Namibia, with ReconAfrica covering the full costs to commerciality.
The two companies initially entered into a Petroleum Exploration Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Namibia in 2015, under which they acquired Petroleum Licence No. 73.
To date, ReconAfrica has drilled two test wells in the Namibian petroleum licence area, both of which have revealed evidence of a working conventional petroleum basin.
The Company plans to drill an additional two wells in 2021 to determine if the Kavango Sedimentary Basin will yield a commercially viable petroleum reservoir.
Under their Petroleum Agreement with the Namibian government, ReconAfrica and NamCor will potentially activate a 25-year Production Licence if the exploratory drilling program proves the Kavango Sedimentary Basin is commercially viable.
The company has to date hired well over 300 Namibians, with plans to employ more as the project evolves.
Namibian workforce includes engineers and electricians; environmental and wildlife specialists; project managers including construction, environment, wildlife surveying, water and hydrology; rig workers; mechanical and logistics; HS&E; communications and government relations; administrative assistants; drivers, machine operators and general labourers.
