As Suriname prepares for its first major offshore oil production, President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons said the government is committed to using those resources to protect the country’s vast forests and biodiversity.
She noted that Suriname remains “about 93%” forested and described the oil sector as an enabler for green development. “What we think is that the oil money will…help us to protect the forest…if we get enough money from the oil…we don’t have to go dig for bauxite or expand the gold industry,” she said in a recently aired Newsweek interview.
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The offshore project GranMorgu, located about 150 km off the Suriname coast in Block 58, is led by TotalEnergies and APA Corporation, with production projected to begin in 2028. The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel under construction is designed to reinject associated gas and run electrically, aligning with lower-emission operations.
Suriname aligns its branding with peace, diversity, and green credentials. “We want to stay carbon negative, and there’s a lot in Suriname to do business, but also for leisure,” she said.
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President Geerlings-Simons emphasized tourism — eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism — as growth areas that can complement oil revenues. She said the oil sector gives Suriname a chance to invest in sustainable income streams rather than expanding extractive industries. “This will take some time to establish,” she said.
The leadership sees the oil windfall not just as a revenue stream but as a lever to achieve environmental protection and responsible growth.
