Petronas is deepening its assessment of a gas discovery offshore Suriname as research in Block 52 moves into a new phase that could determine the viability of large-scale development.
During a September 8 meeting with President Jennifer Simons, Petronas Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (Upstream) Mohd Jukris Abdul Wahab outlined the company’s growing focus on gas, where it now operates across eight offshore blocks. According to a statement from the Suriname Government, Simons said she was “greatly interested” in the company’s gas developments, pointing specifically to Block 52, where exploration has already confirmed a find.
Also present at the meeting were Minister Patrick Brunings of Oil, Gas and the Environment (OGM) and Staatsolie’s Managing Director, Annand Jagesar.
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The Malaysian state-owned company drilled the Sloanea-1 exploration well in 2020 and followed up with the Sloanea-2 appraisal well earlier this year to gauge the extent of the resource. Data from these wells is now being used to define whether Suriname can pursue its first major offshore gas project.
Brunings said his ministry is backing the initiative as part of a broader strategy. “We are not only looking at current oil and gas production, but also at the future beyond fossil fuels. Petronas is an important partner for Suriname, and we want to learn from their expertise, particularly in the field of renewable energy and the energy transition,” he said.
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Petronas is also set to drill four new oil wells later this year, but Jagesar outlined the weight of gas to Suriname’s future. “Oil production at GranMorgu alone offers enormous potential for poverty reduction and economic growth. With the additional gas and oil developments, Suriname can become a prosperous country, provided these developments are managed carefully and responsibly,” the director is quoted in the government statement.
Local content featured prominently in the talks, with commitments to channel investments into training and education so that Surinamese professionals and companies can play direct roles in the emerging gas value chain.
