UK-based junior Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) has bought a rig ahead of planned onshore exploration drilling in the Namibian section of the Kalahari Desert later this year.

The company has acquired a Crown 750 rig from Houston-based Henderson Rigs to drill on its PEL 73 asset, aiming to have the unit onsite by the end of June for the first of three wells in the Kavango basin.

"We have just now completed purchase of the rig, which we aim to refurbish and prepare for drilling within the next two months before shipping the unit to Walvis Bay and mobilising to our licence area," ReconAfrica chief executive Jay Park told Upstream.