Zimbabwe Musuma-1 Oil and Gas Exploration Well Site Completed, Drilling Planned for November

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 15, Australian oil and gas exploration company Invictus Energy announced that the well site for the Musuma-1 exploration well, located in the Cabora Bassa Basin in Zimbabwe, has been completed and has formally passed on-site acceptance by drilling contractor Exalo Drilling. The well site civil works and supporting access road upgrades have all been completed. Exalo will move Rig 202 from the Mukuyu-2 well site to Musuma-1, with drilling planned to commence in November 2026. The well's target zone is estimated to hold unrisked mean prospective resources of 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 73 million barrels of condensate.

The well site acceptance was carried out by Exalo Drilling, covering the well site conditions and supporting civil works required for rig mobilization. After Rig 202 completes its move, the contractor will carry out rig-up, remaining maintenance work, and final equipment inspections. Drilling operations may begin only after the rig passes final acceptance. Invictus Energy Managing Director Scott Macmillan confirmed that the project remains on schedule for a November spud.

Musuma-1 is located in the eastern part of the Cabora Bassa Basin, with an exploration target outside the discovered Mukuyu gas field, and is planned to test a new oil and gas geological play type. Invictus previously discovered natural gas in the Mukuyu-1 and Mukuyu-2 exploration wells. This drilling campaign will acquire stratigraphic and oil and gas resource data for different exploration targets in the eastern part of the basin. The company holds an 80% interest in the Cabora Bassa project and serves as operator.

In July 2026, Invictus Energy awarded the contract for Musuma-1 well site construction and related civil works. In August, the company amended its drilling contract with Exalo Drilling, confirming the use of Rig 202 to drill the well. In September, the company awarded SLB a drilling services contract, with the procurement scope including specialized downhole services, technical support, and the equipment and service resources required for drilling operations. With the well site construction now complete, the project has moved into the rig move, rig-up, and final pre-spud inspection phase.