The Okavango Delta
Canadian oil company ReconAfrica and its Norwegian partner, BW Energy, are searching for oil upstream of the Okavango Delta in northeastern Namibia. The Okavango is a unique inland delta in northwest Botswana, fed by a watershed stretching into Namibia and Angola.
The river basin is the primary water source for one million people and supports a rich mosaic of biodiversity and endangered species. The prospect of significant oil and gas production in the region threatens the Delta and the broader watershed with air and water pollution. Take action to help stop the oil development.
The Situation Today
ReconAfrica and BW Energy currently hold an exploration license for approximately 6.3 million acres of Namibia and 2.2 million acres of Northeast Botswana – representing the entire Kavango basin. The drilling threatens the Okavango Delta, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for its “outstanding universal value.”
It is one of only a few major delta systems worldwide that do not flow into the sea or ocean. The annual flooding of the delta occurs during the dry season from rains falling hundreds of miles away. The delta’s native plants and animals have synchronized their biological cycles with these seasonal rains and floods. There is no place like it on earth. The delta is home to some of the world’s most endangered species, including large mammals, such as cheetahs, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dogs, and lions.
ReconAfrica’s activities have already been hit by controversy and scandal. This includes failing to adequately consult local communities, intimidating local opponents, offering jobs in return for “silence,” failing to secure legally required water and land permits, drilling without legal rights, and illegally bulldozing roads through protected areas. The company has also faced accusations from shareholders that it is a “pump and dump” scheme, misrepresenting how much oil there is underground.
In July 2024, ReconAfrica started a new drilling campaign and announced that BW Energy had acquired shares in its drilling operation. The companies plan to drill at least 20 wells in the coming months.
Current threats and issueS
- Water Pollution Academic research has revealed that any pollution from the drilling could contaminate both the Kavango region and Okavango Delta within days. The flora and fauna adapted to this unique ecosystem may never recover if the delta is polluted.
- Threat to local livelihoods The wider Kavango watershed basin is home to one million people who depend on the water for survival.
- Threat to wildlife The delta is one of the richest biodiverse places on earth, supporting the world’s largest remaining population of African elephants as well as lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, hundreds of species of birds, and a thousand species of plants.
- Climate Change: According to climate experts, the region is already warming at rates twice the global average and at the fastest rate anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
Threat to the Okavango
Canadian oil company ReconAfrica holds the exploration licenses for millions of acres of Namibia and Botswana upstream of the Okavango Delta. The red on this map shows the acreage in Namibia and Botswana where ReconAfrica is either currently drilling or already holds drilling licenses.
Threat to the Kavango region
The red dots on this map show the sites where ReconAfrica has drilled or is currently drilling. The oil company could end up drilling dozens of wells.
It is pursuing nearly 140 prospects and leads, potentially leading to massive development, turning this fragile rural landscape into an industrial zone. Every well could threaten the Okavango Delta.
A Seismic Threat
Oil companies use seismic surveying to look for oil and gas below the surface. They use specialized trucks to drive straight lines in a grid formation for miles across the landscape. Trees and vegetation are cleared to make way for the survey, impacting wildlife habitat and community livelihoods. The map shows in blue the massive amount of seismic activity ReconAfrica plans to undertake in 2025.
All the water flows to the delta
Academic research has revealed that any pollution from the drilling could contaminate both the Kavango region and Okavango Delta within days. The pollution would have nowhere to go because the Okavango Delta is an inland delta.
This map shows the blue underground dyke swarms, which could provide a potential pathway for pollution to travel from the drill sites to the Delta in days if there was a spill.
Threat to local livelihoods
This map shows the population density of the wider Kavango watershed basin (from orange to red). The basin is home to one million people who depend on the water for survival. Many communities are small-scale livestock, sorghum, millet, and maize farmers, while many others rely on tourism in the delta.
If the water resources in the region are polluted, the impact on livelihoods would be catastrophic.
Threat to Protected Areas
The drill sites are surrounded by protected areas, conservancies, and national parks, as shown in green on this map. These protected areas are meant to preserve wildlife and forest resources for the benefit of the communities.
Threat to wildlife
The delta is one of the richest biodiverse places on earth, supporting the world’s largest remaining population of African elephants and endangered lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, and rhinos, as well as hundreds of species of birds and a thousand species of plants. This map shows the prevalence of two endangered species – the bush elephant (purple) and the wild dog (green).
Wider impact
The company plans to export any commercial quantities of oil and gas it finds. It has discussed sending oil to the Namibian coast at Walvis Bay and building gas power plants to send electricity to South Africa, Botswana, or Zambia.
If oil or gas is commercialized, there are fears the region could become the new Niger Delta, which has been devastated by decades of fossil fuel production.
Explore the data
The map below allows you to explore the data above in your own time by using the layer options on the left side to show and hide a variety of data sets.
This map is provided by Fossil Fuel Atlas. You can explore the map on their site here.