The Kersten Group of Companies announced the official opening of the Kersten Training Academy, an OPITO-certified training center focused on the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry in Suriname.
Kersten said the academy offers high-quality, mandatory energy and industry-related training programs. Though it was established in 2022, Kersten only got its Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO) certification on June 13, “officially recognizing it as a facility capable of training individuals to the highest international standards.”
The Kersten Training Academy currently offers 11 OPITO programs, including Tropical Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (T-BOSIET), Helicopter Underwater Training (HUET), and Further Offshore Emergency Training (FOET). Kersten said within weeks, its academy will expand its offerings with six additional programs focused on safety, skills, and competencies. These include training for lifting operations with or without cranes (Rigger, Banksman and Slinger programs).
“The academy became a reality thanks to the support of Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. Kersten Group places a strong emphasis on local content. The academy is fully staffed by Surinamese personnel who have undergone intensive training over the past two years to acquire all relevant knowledge and skills. This marks an important step for the development of Surinamese professionals in the rapidly growing offshore oil and gas sector,” the company said in a June 24 statement.
With a history of over 255 years in the Surinamese community, the Kersten Group of Companies consists of five divisions and employs over 900 people across 13 companies.
Suriname’s first offshore development project, valued at US$9 billion, will be executed by TotalEnergies and APA Corporation, each holding a 50% share in Block 58. TotalEnergies will serve as the operator. A final investment decision (FID) is anticipated before the end of the year.
Suriname’s resource count is approximately 4.6 billion oil-equivalent barrels, according to Wood Mackenzie, with a significant portion being gas. In addition to the first oil development, Petronas, operating Block 52, is considering a possible gas project. Discoveries in this block could lead to a development producing 100,000 barrels per day.
