ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Suriname is aiming to use its offshore oil resources to drive national development to levels comparable to Singapore, Staatsolie Managing Director Annand Jagesar said during a GranMorgu information session in the Netherlands on April 21.
“We will develop Suriname a lot. Until it becomes developed just like Singapore,” he said.
The session, hosted by SBM Offshore, Staatsolie and TotalEnergies EP Suriname, was held at SBM Offshore’s Rotterdam office and drew significant participation from the Surinamese diaspora in the Netherlands.
The event brought together over 150 attendees, reflecting unremitting interest in the country’s emerging offshore oil and gas sector. The session featured presentations from Jagesar, TotalEnergies EP Suriname Local Content Coordinator Susan Bansropansingh, and SBM Offshore representatives Ulrike Westfa and Pierre Gaté.
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The event marked the second GranMorgu information session organized at the same venue, following a previous one in October 2025. While the earlier session focused more on technical aspects of the project, the second edition placed greater emphasis on workforce development and opportunities linked to the offshore sector.
Polling conducted during the session showed strong optimism around offshore developments. According to results of the poll, 99% of participants viewed offshore activities in Suriname positively. Words such as “development,” “opportunity,” and “growth” were most frequently associated with the sector’s potential.
At the same time, responses highlighted practical considerations affecting relocation decisions. Healthcare and salary were cited among the main factors that could discourage a move to Suriname, while contributing to national development and access to business opportunities were among the leading motivations for those considering returning.
The session also included extended Q&A segments, allowing for direct engagement between participants and company representatives.
Notable attendees included Suriname’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ricardo Panka, alongside representatives from Staatsolie and TotalEnergies.
The GranMorgu project, led by TotalEnergies in partnership with APA Corporation and Staatsolie, is expected to play a central role in shaping Suriname’s offshore future as development progresses toward first oil in 2028.
