Tom Alweendo to Speak at African Energy Week 2025
STAFF REPORTER
Tom Alweendo, the former minister of mines, will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place in Cape Town from 29 September to 3 October. Alweendo – who led Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy from 2018 until March 2025 – recently launched Alvenco Advisory, a strategic consultancy aimed at assisting investors in navigating Namibia’s political, fiscal, legal and environmental regimes.
The firm offers tailored advisory services covering policy and regulatory compliance, alignment with national development priorities, and stakeholder engagement at both community and government levels. By leveraging Alweendo’s extensive ministerial experience and network, Alvenco Advisory aims to facilitate responsible investment that unlocks value, drives industrial participation and supports Namibia’s long-term socioeconomic objectives.
Namibia’s offshore oil and gas sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, marked by a series of world-class discoveries and heightened exploration activity. The most recent milestone came in April this year, when the Capricornus 1-X exploration well in offshore Block 2914A delivered a successful light oil discovery. Operated by Rhino Resources alongside partners Azule Energy, Namcor and Korres Investments, the well encountered 38m of high-quality net pay, flowed over 11 000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) during testing and confirmed the presence of a commercially viable light oil system.
Capricornus 1-X mirrors the characteristics of the nearby Venus and Graff discoveries, reinforcing the Orange Basin’s position as a globally significant petroleum province. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – as the voice of the African energy sector – recently commended the PEL85 joint venture partners for delivering one of Namibia’s most significant oil discoveries to date, noting its potential to catalyse further investment, fast-track appraisal drilling and accelerate development initiatives.
Drilling momentum is set to remain strong throughout 2025, with seven wells planned this year alone. These include Marula-1X by TotalEnergies and a second PEL85 well planned by Rhino Resources, as well as the Kharas prospect within BW Energy’s Kudu licence. Additional prospects at Olympe and Saturn have also been identified, signalling continued confidence from major international operators.
Beyond exploration, development planning is advancing on two of Namibia’s largest finds. TotalEnergies’ Venus project in Block 2913B is targeting a 2026 final investment decision and a planned 150 000-bpd FPSO facility. Galp is progressing the appraisal of its Mopane discovery, supported by 3 500km2 of newly acquired high-density seismic data.
“Tom Alweendo’s leadership and deep understanding of Namibia’s energy landscape come at a pivotal moment for the country’s resource development. His insights will be invaluable in guiding discussions on how to translate world-class discoveries into sustainable economic growth and long-term benefits for all Namibians,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.
Namibia’s emergence as one of the world’s most promising oil frontiers – underpinned by a stable regulatory environment, competitive licensing terms and a strong governance framework – positions the country as a leading destination for global upstream investment.
Tom Alweendo, the former minister of mines, will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place in Cape Town from 29 September to 3 October. Alweendo – who led Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy from 2018 until March 2025 – recently launched Alvenco Advisory, a strategic consultancy aimed at assisting investors in navigating Namibia’s political, fiscal, legal and environmental regimes.
The firm offers tailored advisory services covering policy and regulatory compliance, alignment with national development priorities, and stakeholder engagement at both community and government levels. By leveraging Alweendo’s extensive ministerial experience and network, Alvenco Advisory aims to facilitate responsible investment that unlocks value, drives industrial participation and supports Namibia’s long-term socioeconomic objectives.
Namibia’s offshore oil and gas sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, marked by a series of world-class discoveries and heightened exploration activity. The most recent milestone came in April this year, when the Capricornus 1-X exploration well in offshore Block 2914A delivered a successful light oil discovery. Operated by Rhino Resources alongside partners Azule Energy, Namcor and Korres Investments, the well encountered 38m of high-quality net pay, flowed over 11 000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) during testing and confirmed the presence of a commercially viable light oil system.
Capricornus 1-X mirrors the characteristics of the nearby Venus and Graff discoveries, reinforcing the Orange Basin’s position as a globally significant petroleum province. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – as the voice of the African energy sector – recently commended the PEL85 joint venture partners for delivering one of Namibia’s most significant oil discoveries to date, noting its potential to catalyse further investment, fast-track appraisal drilling and accelerate development initiatives.
Drilling momentum is set to remain strong throughout 2025, with seven wells planned this year alone. These include Marula-1X by TotalEnergies and a second PEL85 well planned by Rhino Resources, as well as the Kharas prospect within BW Energy’s Kudu licence. Additional prospects at Olympe and Saturn have also been identified, signalling continued confidence from major international operators.
Beyond exploration, development planning is advancing on two of Namibia’s largest finds. TotalEnergies’ Venus project in Block 2913B is targeting a 2026 final investment decision and a planned 150 000-bpd FPSO facility. Galp is progressing the appraisal of its Mopane discovery, supported by 3 500km2 of newly acquired high-density seismic data.
“Tom Alweendo’s leadership and deep understanding of Namibia’s energy landscape come at a pivotal moment for the country’s resource development. His insights will be invaluable in guiding discussions on how to translate world-class discoveries into sustainable economic growth and long-term benefits for all Namibians,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.
Namibia’s emergence as one of the world’s most promising oil frontiers – underpinned by a stable regulatory environment, competitive licensing terms and a strong governance framework – positions the country as a leading destination for global upstream investment.
