Oil find near Elisenheim, residents to be offered Otjomuise plots

This has led to a rush to ensure residents of the gated lifestyle community are compensated through a plot-and-plan development near Otjomuise.The Presidency has been tight-lipped since the discovery in late January, but sources have revealed that the secured investments from the just-ended Expo 2020 Dubai is said to include a N$6,5 billion investment in oil reserve exploration just outside Elisenheim.The presence of oil was discovered during seismic surveys conducted in the area.State House spokesperson Alfredo Hengari yesterday confirmed that discussions in Dubai included further exploration of the oil find.He said Elisenheim residents are to be given the option to move to Otjomuise Extension 4, which the City of Windhoek has earmarked for further development.“This is big. We wanted to confirm before asking that they accept houses [in Otjomuise]. We will make a formal offer at a town hall meeting at a date and venue to be announced soon,” Hengari said.Pressed further, he said that president Hage Geingob and sultan Ali Khan, whose company Ali Baba Oil is funding the exploration, would do a joint presentation to the community before the end of April.The Elisenheim find follows Shell's recent oil discovery in Namibia and another by French oil major TotalEnergies.Hengari said Elisenheim residents would not be able to live in the area given the fact that exploration activities would be happening at their doorsteps, which would have associated risks.“We are willing to compensate them so we can get the oil. The nation should be excited about this development. We have to think of the future. We know it's going be difficult to accept for some, but they should not be allowed to stand in the way. Let's not fool ourselves, this is huge,” Hengari said.According to seismic surveyor Leonard Charles, whose company ShockWave did the surveying, these surveys have become the primary tool of exploration companies, both onshore and offshore. “3D seismic surveys have lowered finding costs and allowed exploration for reserves not locatable by other means, revolutionising the industry,” he said.A seismic survey is conducted by creating a shock wave – a seismic wave – on the surface of the ground along a predetermined line, using an energy source. The seismic wave travels into the earth, is reflected by subsurface formations, and returns to the surface where it is recorded by receivers called geophones – similar to microphones.