Private sector energy ties between Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname have been strengthened with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at boosting local content, investment promotion and regional cooperation.
The agreement was signed by the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago and the Suriname Energy Chamber on the sidelines of the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026, according to a June 23 release from the Trinidad-based chamber.
The memorandum was signed by Dr. Priya Marajh, interim executive of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago, and Orlando Olmberg, president of the Suriname Energy Chamber.
“Under the MOU, the two parties have agreed to cooperate on institutional collaboration and energy-sector development, knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and local-content capacity building, the development of regional policies, investment promotion, regional integration, and joint activities, including events, research papers, and consultations,” the release said.
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Dr. Marajh said the agreement is intended to help firms in both countries secure a greater role in the energy value chain.
“This MOU with the Suriname Energy Chamber fosters the growth of private-sector firms in both countries and promotes the local content participation of our people and businesses. We believe that through cooperation, we can encourage stronger investment inflows and create an environment where the private sector can capitalize on the opportunities rapidly unfolding in our region,” she said.
According to the Trinidad Chamber, the agreement marks its second regional MOU in recent months, following a similar deal signed with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry in May.
It said the new partnership reflects the growing importance of regional private sector coordination as energy activity expands across the southern Caribbean.
Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname are both pushing ahead with major offshore energy developments, though from very different starting points. In Trinidad, new gas projects such as Shell’s Manatee and bp’s Ginger and Mento are expected to support a medium-term recovery in production, with Manatee alone projected to deliver about 104,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day at peak.
In Suriname, momentum continues to build toward first offshore production. The TotalEnergies-led GranMorgu development in Block 58 remains on track for first oil in 2028, with a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel designed to produce up to 220,000 barrels per day. At the same time, Petronas is advancing a gas-focused strategy in Block 52, where it announced another discovery on June 23, further expanding the block’s growing resource base.
