Galp Energia is forging ahead with a two-well exploration campaign this year on its block in the Namibia’s prolific Orange basin by securing a drilling rig.

The Lisbon-based player operates the PEL 83 licence just north of acreage where Shell and TotalEnergies have made four significant oil discoveries between them which they are currently appraising and testing.

News of the rig deal coincided with the departure from Galp of upstream boss Thore Kristiansen, who recently described the company’s Namibian block as having “the best zip code” because, as well as being prospective, it lies in shallower water than its neighbours’ finds.