Also known as: Venus oil and gas project · the Venus oil and gas project · Venus development · Venus oil discovery · Venus fishing vessel · the major Venus oil discovery
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
New Era
… Exploration and appraisal activity continue to expand our understanding of the basin, while major discoveries such as Venus and Mopane are moving the national conversation from exploration toward development and production. …
Oil must benefit Namibians – WitbooiThe Namibian
… This includes ongoing discussions for the final investment decision relating to the Venus development, operated by TotalEnergies, and the broader work required to move major discoveries from exploration towards commercial development. …
Kornelia Shilunga Outlines Namibia’s Vision for Turning Oil and Gas Decisions into National BenefitsThe Namibian
… Venus, Graff, Mopane: names that now carry a Namibia’s expectations. This week, in Windhoek, the government, operators and Namibian businesses sit down at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2026 to ask how the country captures the value. …
The Barrel is Not the PrizeNamibian Sun
The proposed development of TotalEnergies’ Venus oil discovery could require about US$17 billion (N$274 billion) in investment – an amount larger than Namibia’s entire annual... …
Venus oil project’s N$274bn cost exceeds Namibia’s GDP – UangutaInformanté
… approved TotalEnergies’ acquisition of a 40% interest and operatorship of Galp Energia’s giant Mopane oil discovery in the Orange Basin, paving the way for the French energy company to expand its offshore presence while advancing plans for a final investment decision on the Venus …
Namibia approves TotalEnergies’ Mopane acquisition, strengthens offshore oil ambitionsThe Namibian
… TotalEnergies’ Venus discovery, the largest ever in sub-Saharan Africa at around 5.1 billion barrels in place, is heading toward a final investment decision in 2026, with first oil expected around 2029. …
Energy Explainer Part 5: What Lasting Prosperity From Oil Looks LikeWindhoek Observer
… For the Venus and Mopane offshore petroleum developments, elevated prices are paradoxically positive: they improve the economics of Namibia’s Orange Basin discoveries and increase the probability of TotalEnergies’ FID (expected August 2026). …
Crude Oil: The inflation transmission channel for NamibiaThe Namibian
… Combined with Shell and TotalEnergies’ discoveries at Graff and Venus, experts suggest up to five billion barrels of recoverable oil. …
How Namibia Can Leapfrog Africa’s Industrial TrapThe Namibian
… Venus, Mopane, Graff, Jonker, Capricornus and Volans have changed the country’s energy map, and the Orange Basin is now discussed in the same breath as the most exciting frontier provinces in the world. …
Governing the Orange Basin Before Habits Harden Can institutions and policy mature quick enough to shape the basin before momentum hardens into habit?New Era
… Behind closed doors, TotalEnergies briefed the president on the latest developments around the Venus oil discovery – one of the most significant finds offshore Namibia in recent years. …
5 000 oil jobs in the pipelineVice President Lucia Witbooi said Namibia's oil discoveries will be measured on how many Namibian lives they improve, and called on Namibians to actively participate in developing the emerging oil and gas industry to create employment, skills, and infrastructure.
16 hours ago · New Era →
Vice President Lucia Witbooi said Namibia's oil discoveries will be measured on how many Namibian lives they improve, and called on Namibians to actively participate in developing the emerging oil and gas industry to create employment, skills, and infrastructure.
16 hours ago · New Era →
Special Advisor Kornelia Shilunga outlined Namibia's vision for converting oil and gas sector decisions into national benefits at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2026.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that Namibia should prioritize equity ownership in its oil discoveries—particularly Venus, Graff, and Mopane in the Orange Basin—rather than limiting itself to local-content arrangements that only provide wages and services, contrasting this approach with Norway's wealth-building model.
17 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The proposed development of TotalEnergies' Venus oil discovery could require about US$17 billion (N$274 billion) in investment, an amount larger than Namibia's entire annual GDP, according to Uanguta.
17 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy approved TotalEnergies' acquisition of a 40% interest and operatorship of Galp Energia's Mopane oil discovery in the Orange Basin, while Galp will acquire a 10% stake in TotalEnergies' Venus project. The transaction advances Namibia's offshore petroleum sector and strengthens TotalEnergies' strategic presence in the region.
26 July 2026 · Informanté →
As Namibia prepares for major oil production starting around 2029, an analyst argues that without deliberate efforts to ensure broad-based prosperity—not just enrichment of a connected elite—the country risks repeating the pattern of oil-dependent economies where wealth concentrates and vulnerability increases when prices fall.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Crude oil is the single most important commodity for Namibian macroeconomic conditions. Global oil price surges—driven by Middle East disruptions and supply constraints—cascade quickly into domestic fuel price increases, as demonstrated by April-May 2026 fuel price hikes of 19.9% for petrol and 43.9% for diesel.
30 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Recent oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin, with an over 80% exploration success rate, position Namibia to avoid reliance on imported fuel and build local refining capacity—a lesson highlighted by recent fuel price shocks tied to Middle Eastern conflicts.
5 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's emerging Orange Basin oil and gas discoveries require strong regulatory and policy frameworks before commercial development momentum becomes difficult to redirect. The country must develop technical regulatory strength, clarify its fiscal regime, and build credible local content systems before major projects are sanctioned, drawing lessons from Guyana, Trinidad, Mozambique and other petroleum states.
20 April 2026 · The Namibian →
TotalEnergies Vice President Mike Sangster met with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to brief her on advances in the Venus offshore oil discovery, which the company expects will create about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The company has submitted development plans to Namibian authorities and targets a final investment decision in mid-2026, though the project faces significant technical challenges including 3,000 metres water depth and location 320 kilometres from the coastline.
17 April 2026 · New Era →
At least 15 foreign crew members, predominantly Russian, aboard the Venus fishing vessel owned by Hodago say they have been stuck on the vessel for several months with their passports allegedly confiscated by the company. The Russian Embassy told New Era it is aware of the situation and is working with relevant authorities to resolve the issue.
9 April 2026 · New Era →
Energy company TotalEnergies has agreed to exit US offshore wind development, relinquishing two leases and receiving refunds under a settlement with the US Department of the Interior. The company will redirect its investment into US gas and power projects, citing offshore wind's high costs and potential to increase electricity prices.
25 March 2026 · New Era →
French energy company TotalEnergies has confirmed approximately 1.5 billion barrels of discovered resources across its Namibian offshore petroleum licences, anchored by the Venus and Mopane projects, with the Mopane field alone estimated to hold 800 million to 1.1 billion barrels of recoverable resources and planned production exceeding 200,000 barrels per day once developed.
25 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Chevron has renewed its diamond sponsorship of the Namibia International Energy Conference (scheduled for April 2026) as the country prepares for first oil following major offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin. The conference aims to bring together government, energy companies, and investors to discuss Namibia's emerging oil and gas sector, which analysts project could contribute up to 18% of GDP at peak production.
4 February 2026 · The Namibian →
TotalEnergies and Galp have announced a partnership reshaping operatorship of key offshore licences in Namibia's Orange Basin, with TotalEnergies taking over PEL 83 (Mopane) and Galp acquiring interests in PEL 56 and PEL 91 (Venus). The companies briefed President Nandi-Ndaitwah on their long-term commitment to developing these discoveries responsibly while creating jobs and economic benefits for Namibians.
3 February 2026 · New Era →
TotalEnergies and Galp Energia met President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to update her on their December agreement involving offshore petroleum licences, with TotalEnergies taking operatorship of the Mopane discoveries and Galp entering the Venus project. Both companies outlined expected contributions to employment and local industry participation, with Venus development projected to generate N$127–229 billion over 25 years.
3 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Venus oil and gas project is expected to produce first oil around 2030, but the government won't receive significant revenue until five years later due to the company's need to recover initial investment costs of US$15 billion. The environmental and social impact assessment estimates total government revenue of N$127–229 billion over a 25-year project timeframe, with petroleum income tax at 35% only kicking in after upfront costs are recouped.
28 January 2026 · The Namibian →
The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the Venus oil and gas project reveals that most direct jobs will go to highly specialised foreign workers, with only 500 of 2,500 construction-phase jobs being direct positions that require skills not currently available in Namibia. While indirect employment in civil construction, transportation, logistics and workforce services may benefit local communities in Erongo and ||Kharas regions, the direct impact on national employment is limited.
21 January 2026 · The Namibian →
NamibiaOilAndGas.com, a homegrown platform, has been created to safeguard Namibian oil and gas industry data, prevent "data drain," and ensure that critical information on the Orange Basin discoveries remains managed and owned by Namibians rather than international organisations.
6 January 2026 · New Era →