Power shortages remain a critical issue across sub-Saharan Africa. In Zimbabwe, Invictus Energy’s Cabora Bassa project holds immense untapped potential to enhance energy security for millions.
Invictus Energy’s Exploration Manager Glen Bowman is driven by the challenge of maximising the potential of this resource, ensuring it contributes meaningfully to the region’s economic growth and development.
“The energy industry is an incredibly exciting place to work in, but more importantly, it’s the potential to create a reliable energy source that is the most fulfilling part,” he says.
“The availability of affordable and reliable energy is a big driver of the quality of life in these regions.
“By working on projects like ours in the Cabora Bassa Basin, you are given the chance to have an impact on everybody in the region – that’s extremely rewarding.”
A geoscientist by background, Glen has worked in the oil and gas industry for 23 years, in a variety of technical positions early in his career, and more recently in strategic leadership roles across traditional oil and gas and new energy technologies.
He spent 16 years at Woodside where he was responsible for new business development and joint venture management – key areas of focus for Glen at Invictus.
Glen joined Invictus in early 2023, an exciting time for the Company fresh off the discovery of the Mukuyu Gas Field, recognised as one of the largest oil and gas finds in sub-Saharan Africa by global energy research firm Wood Mackenzie.
Glen – who already had a working relationship with Invictus Managing Director Scott Macmillan from their time at Woodside – says he was excited about being given the opportunity to join Invictus, a company that had a proven track record of delivering positive results.
“I’ve followed the Invictus story for years and the opportunity to explore an undrilled basin was incredibly exciting,” he says.
“I already knew Scott and some of the team, but seeing what they were doing in Zimbabwe and knowing that it was being done in the right way was very important to me.
“When I joined, it was a great time to come on board, following the positive drilling campaign at Mukuyu-1 in late 2022.
“This initial discovery was fantastic but new seismic and well data offers new insights into other potential plays we can explore.”
The Cabora Bassa Basin hosts three major play types offering a variety of resource opportunities, with multiple prospects ready for drilling outside of Mukuyu, and shares geological similarities with successful East African basins in Kenya and Uganda, highlighting its exploration potential.
To date, over 1,800km of high quality 2D seismic and two exploratory wells have been completed providing a solid foundation for future drilling and resource quantification.
Recent interpretation of the CB23 seismic survey data and a review of prospectivity in the eastern Cabora Bassa Basin identified eight high potential prospects totalling an estimated 2.9 Tcf gas and 184 MMbbl condensate.
A planned 3D seismic survey and appraisal drilling and well testing at the Mukuyu Gas Field will further delineate the resource’s potential, refine development plans, and improve our operational efficiency.
In his role as Exploration Manager, Glen is responsible for characterising the exploration potential of the Cabora Bassa Basin and designing an efficient exploration work program that delivers discovered resources for future development projects.
“My role involves testing for hydrocarbons within the Basin and minimising any potential risks,” he says.
“Invictus has achieved a remarkable milestone by declaring a discovery in the Mukuyu Gas Field.
“This has significantly de-risked other prospects across the Cabora Bassa project, giving us strong confidence in our next exploration and appraisal work program.”
In addition to the planned 3D seismic survey, the Company will also focus on drilling the Musuma prospect to test the Dande play in the east of the basin.
“Musuma is a primary target because it’s significant in size and would assist with unlocking value and further understanding of the wider Cabora Bassa portfolio,” Glen says.
Glen says operating in one of Africa’s largest and last untested frontier rift basins was rewarding.
“For me, the impressive thing about Invictus, as a relatively small operator, has been its ability to achieve significant milestones in such a short timeframe.
“The Project is a complex operation, and to do it efficiently with the resources Invictus has available is a major success.”
