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2026
No significant news in 2026.
2025
Aug 2025: Staatsolie has launched an Open-Door Offering, for open acreage. Offshore Investors will be able to select an area and opt for either a Joint Study Agreement (JSA)/Technical Evaluation Agreement (TEA) or a PSC. Roughly 60% of the offshore Guiana basin is available for exploration across shallow-water and deepwater zones.
2024
Oct 2024: TotalEnergies (operator, 50%) and APA (50%) announced the FID for the GranMorgu oil development on Block 58 to develop the Sapakara and Krabdagu discoveries. The fields are 150 kms offshore and hold reserves estimated at over 750 mm bbls. The project includes a 220,000 bbls of oil per day FPSO with first oil expected in 2028. Staatsolie intends to exercise its option to enter the project with up to 20%.
May 2024: Petronas (operator, 50%) and ExxonMobil (50%) made a 3rd oil discovery in Block 52 at the Fusaea-1 well within the Suriname-Guyana basin.
2023
Dec 2023: Staatsolie signed PSCs for 3 blocks offered under the Demerara Bid Round. Petronas acquired Block 63 (100%) in water depths of 1,700m. TotalEnergies acquired Block 64 (40%) as operator in water depths of 1,300m with QatarEnergy (30%) and Petronas (30%). Shell will operate shallow water Block 65 (60%) with QatarEnergy (40%).
Nov 2023: Staatsolie Hydrocarbon Institute (SHI) announced a round of competitive bidding for 11 offshore blocks in water depths up to 150m. They are south of the deepwater discoveries and north of the onshore producing oilfields. Bids are required by end May 2024.
Nov 2023: Petronas (operator, 50%) and ExxonMobil (50%) discovered oil at the Roystonea-1 well in Block 52. They hope to develop it along with the 2020 Sloanea-1 discovery in the same block. The well is 185 kms offshore in a water depth of 904 m with reservoirs in Campanian sandstones.
Sep 2023: TotalEnergies (operator, 50%) and APA (50%) will develop an oil hub in Block 58 (Sapakara and Krabdagu fields) after appraisal was completed in August 2023 with 3 wells. The project has a combined estimate of 700 mm bbls reserves in water depths of up to 1,000m. It will be produced through subsea wells and an FPSO with a capacity of 200,000 bbls per day at a cost of US$9bn. First production is targeted for 2028.
Jun 2023: Staatsolie announced that the 2022-2023 Demerara Bid Round successfully closed for bid submissions. Qualified bids were received for 3 of the 6 blocks offered. Staatsolie will now proceed with bid evaluation.
May 2023: TotalEnergies (operator, 40%), QatarEnergy (20%) and Paradise Oil (40%) have signed for PSCs on Blocks 6 & 8 with Staatsolie in the Suriname Shallow Offshore Bid Round 2020/2021. Located close to the border with Guyana with depths from 30-50m, they are adjacent to Block 58 where several discoveries have been made.
2022
Nov 2022: Staatsolie Hydrocarbon Institute (SHI) announced the launch of a competitive bid round of 6 new blocks in the Demerara area. The blocks are located east of current offshore discoveries and have a water depth varying from 400 to 3500m.
Aug 2022: APA Corporation (operator, 45%), Petronas (30%) and CEPSA (25%) made an oil discovery at the Baja-1 well, the first discovery in Block 53. Baja-1 encountered 34m of net oil pay in a single interval within the Campanian, a down-dip lobe of the same depositional system as the Krabdagu discovery. The water depth is 1,140m.
Feb 2022: TotalEnergies (operator, 50%) and APA (50%) made an oil and gas discovery at the Krabdagu-1 well, in the central area of Block 58 in 780m of water. This follows discoveries at Maka, Sapakara, Kwaskwasi and Keskesi. Located 18 kms SE of Sapakara South, Krabdagu-1 encountered 90m of net oil pay in Maastrichtian and Campanian reservoirs. At least 3 further exploration and appraisal wells are planned for 2022.
2021
Oct 2021: Chevron, TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy signed for 30-year PSC’s wiith Staatsolie (the NOC with a 40% opt-in for development phase) for Blocks 5, 6 and 8 respectively in shallow waters. They were available in the Shallow Offshore (SHO) Bid Round 2020/2021 which closed for bidding in April..
Jul 2021: TotalEnergies (operator, 50%) and Apache (50%) encountered oil in the Sapakara South-1 well on Block 58 in a water depth of 850m, their fifth offshore discovery. Located 4 kms SE of the Sapakara West-1 discovery, the well encountered 30m of net pay in a Campano-Maastrichtian reservoir.
Jun 2021: Total (operator, 40%), Qatar Petroleum (20%) and Staatsolie (40%) were awarded the right to explore shallow water (30-65m depth) Blocks 6 and 8 adjacent to the prolific Block 58 close to the border with Guyana.
Jan 2021: Total (operator, 50%) and Apache have made a new significant oil and gas discovery at the Keskesi East-1 well in 725m of water, in offshore Block 58. This follows previous discoveries at Maka Central, Sapakara West and Kwaskwasi. Appraisal operations will begin on the 2020 discoveries and a second exploration campaign is also scheduled.
2020
Dec 2020: Petronas (operator, 50%) and ExxonMobil (50%) announced a first discovery of hydrocarbons in the Campanian section of the Sloanea-1 exploration well, Block 52 in the Suriname-Guyana basin.
Nov 2020: Staatsolie Hydrocarbon Institute (SHI) announced an offer of 8 blocks in the west of the Shallow Offshore (SHO) area via competitive bidding. They are south of deepwater discoveries in Block 58 and northwest of onshore producing fields. Bids are due by 30 April 2021.
Jul 2020: Apache (operator, 50%) and Total (50%) announced a major oil discovery at the offshore Kwaskwasi-1 well in Block 58. The well penetrated net 278m of stacked Campanian and Santonian reservoirs. Upon completion of operations the rig will move to the Keskesi exploration well.
Apr 2020: Apache (operator, 50%) and Total (50%) have made a significant oil discovery’ at the Sapakara West-1 well on offshore Block 58 testing oil and condensate in multiple stacked fans in Upper Cretaceous (Campanian and Santonian) intervals. A third prospect in Block 58, Kwaskwasi-1, will now be drilled followed by Keskesi-1.,
Jan 2020: Apache (operator, 50%) and Total (50%) made a significant oil and gas discovery at the Maka Central-1 well on Block 58 in 995m of water on trend with the Stabroek block in Guyana. The find is in stacked reservoirs in the Upper Cretaceous. Further drilling and testing will be carried out to appraise the find. The next well will be drilled on the Sapaka West-1 prospect .
2019
Dec 2019: Staatsolie completed its Nearshore Drilling Project of 6 exploration wells (Marai, Electric Ray, Kankantrie, Powisi, Gonini, and Tukunari) but failed to make a commercial oil discovery. The campaign started in April using the West Castor jack-up with a plan for 10 wells in water depths from 8 to 25m. Four had oil shows. Meanwhile Apache will deepen its first exploration well (Maka Central-1) in deep water Block 58.
2018
May 2018: The Anapai-1 well drilling in offshore Block 45 encountered borehole stability issues and will be re-spudded by Kosmos (operator, 50%) with Chevron (50%). Anapai-1A will target the same objectives. Kosmos (operator, 33.33%) also anticipates drilling starting in Q3 in Block 42 of the Pontoenoe prospect.
2017
Oct 2017: Tullow Oil’s (operator, 30%) Araku-1 well in Block 54 at just over 1000m water depth failed to find reservoir quality rocks although gas/condensate shows were present. Partners are Statoil (50%) and Noble Energy (20%).
Jun 2017: Staatsolie and ExxonMobil, Hess and Statoil have reached an agreement on a PSC for offshore Block 59. Meanwhile an agreement has also been reached with Statoil for Block 60. In September 2017 the ‘Open Door Policy Offshore Suriname’ will be reopened.
2016
May 2016: Kosmos (operator, 33.33%) and Chevron (33.33%) have farmed-out to Hess a one-third interest in offshore Block 42 on the border with Guyana. Hess will fully fund a 6,500 sq km 3D seismic survey starting in Q3 2016 and will disproportionately fund the first contingent exploration well.
2015
No significant news in 2015.
2014
Jul 2014: Staatsolie (Surinam’s NOC), announced blocks released for negotiations following a request for companies to nominate areas of interest. Three offshore blocks (58, 59 and 60) and 2 onshore blocks (Commewijne and Nickeris) are identified. Bids are due before 30 Jan 2015.
2013
Jun 2013: RWE Dea has signed a farm-in agreement with Petronas, acquiring a 40% interest in Block 52. Petronas is operator and now has 60%. The licence area covers 4,743 sq kms and lies in the Guyana-Suriname Basin in water depths ranging from 100 to 1,000m. The planned work programme comprises a 3D survey and the drilling of one exploration well in the next 3 years.
Apr 2013: State oil company Staatsolie and Petronas signed a production sharing contract for offshore block 52. Petronas will drill at least one exploratory well and conduct a 3D seismic survey. In 2012 Staatsolie signed a production sharing deal with Apache to explore Block 53. In January 2013 Suriname’s 5th bidding round was officially opened, offering Blocks 54, 55, 56 and 57 on the Demerara Plateau.
2012
Nov 2012: The 5th International Bidding Round is expected to be formally opened at the start of 2013 by Staatsolie, the National Oil Company (NOC) of Suriname. Four blocks will be offered in the round, Block 54, Block 55, Block 56 and Block 57, all located in the Demerara Plateau Area in eastern offshore deep waters.
Oct 2012: Apache Corp signed a PSC with Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname for offshore Block 53. A minimum work program for the 3-year exploration phase includes a 3D seismic survey and 2 wells. Apache will take responsibility for all costs. Staatsolie will take a stake in the optional 2.5-year development phase of up to 20% with reimbursement. Block 53 is located 130 kms off the NW coast of Paramaribo.
Jun 2012: Chevron has acquired 50% of Blocks 42 and 45.
South America
