TotalEnergies E&P Suriname, operator of Block 58, has secured the Maersk Valiant to drill another well offshore Suriname in the third quarter.
The driller said TotalEnergies exercised an option available to it, in a deal it has with Maersk, to add the drilling of the additional well for approximately US$24.3 million.
The extension includes integrated services provided and a fee for the use of managed pressure drilling.
“The contract extension has an estimated duration of 100 days, with work expected to commence in August/September 2022 in direct continuation of the rig’s current work scope.”
Maersk said one-well option remains on the contract.
Thus far, the Block 58 partners – TotalEnergies (50%) and Apache Corp. (50%) – have made five discoveries at the Maka Central, Kwaskwasi, Sapakara West, Keskesi and Krabdagu wells.
United States multinational investment bank and financial services company Morgan Stanley had said in 2020 that its modelling of Suriname’s Block 58 shows it contains a potential 6.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources which can be developed across seven phases. Two of the five discoveries were made after Morgan Stanley’s modelling.
Apache was initially the operator of the block, but it was announced in January last year that operatorship was transferred to TotalEnergies.
Block 58 is gearing up to be Suriname’s offshore crown jewel. Suriname is aiming to mirror the many discoveries made offshore Guyana in the Stabroek Block, hailed as the largest oil and gas find in two decades.
