Suriname continues to strengthen its profile as a future energy producer in the South Atlantic, the Malaysian state-owned company Petronas announced a new natural gas discovery in Block 52, an offshore area that already has eight successful discoveries and estimated resources exceeding 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
According to Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons, the new discovery represents a significant step forward for the country’s energy development. While no technical details were provided, authorities believe the finding strengthens the potential of the Surinamese marine basin.
Block 52 strengthens its energy potential
During an energy sector conference, Petronas’ Chief Operating Officer, Mohd Jukris Abdul Wahab, noted that the exploration campaigns carried out to date have identified more than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent in Block 52.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the company continues to promote safe operations and lower carbon emissions solutions while strengthening technological capabilities and developing local talent to generate long-term value.
The executive explained that the block is located within the so-called Golden Lane corridor, an area considered to have high geological potential due to its similarities with other relevant discoveries made in the region.
Suriname seeks to replicate Guyana’s oil success
While Guyana is strengthening its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers with an output exceeding 900,000 barrels per day, Suriname is accelerating its efforts to develop its marine resources.
In this context, Petronas expects to make a final investment decision this year to advance the development of the natural gas reserves discovered in Block 52. The company had already declared the Sloanea discovery commercially viable, considered one of the most promising accumulations in the area.
Likewise, the company maintains exploration activities aimed at identifying new oil resources that can complement future production developments.
New offshore projects promote the national strategy
Surinamese authorities believe the recent discoveries could become the basis for multiple oil and gas projects over the next decade.
Meanwhile, Oil Minister Patrick Brunings confirmed that the country’s first offshore production is still planned for 2028 through the project led by a consortium headed by TotalEnergies.
Meanwhile, the state-owned company Staatsolie has an open licensing round covering more than 70,000 square kilometers across five offshore areas. The program allows international operators to submit exploration proposals and enter into production-sharing agreements or joint studies to enhance available seismic data.
Gas is gaining prominence in the export strategy
According to Brunings, the results obtained so far suggest that Suriname could become a relevant supplier of natural gas to international markets.
The official indicated that further discoveries could favor the development of associated industries such as petrochemicals and mineral processing, expanding the economic impact of the country’s energy resources.
With several projects under evaluation and new areas available for exploration, Suriname continues to position itself as one of the most attractive destinations for offshore investment in South America.
Source: Reuters
Photo: Shutterstock
