Fossil Energy – Suriname
TotalEnergies plans to begin drilling the Macaw-1 exploration well in Block 64, located offshore Suriname, by mid-May 2025.
Macaw-1 is the first of five offshore exploration wells scheduled for drilling this year. If successful, the exploration drilling program could potentially lead to new oil and gas plays in the Suriname-Guyana over the long term.
The Macaw-1 well is a significant part of the exploration work program for this year in Block 64. It is the first of five exploration wells planned to be drilled in different blocks this year.
This represents an unprecedented number of exploration wells drilled in Suriname’s offshore area by international oil and gas companies within one year. Three of the five wells, including the Macaw-1, are located outside the areas designated as the ‘golden lane’.
The National Environmental Authority granted TotalEnergies a permit to drill the Macaw-1 well at the end of April. TotalEnergies has contracted Stena Drilling to carry out the drilling using the Stena DrillMAX drill ship. The vessel was previously drilled in Guyana for ExxonMobil. Following its work in Guyana, Stena DrillMAX underwent maintenance and safety checks in Curaçao. After passing an acceptance test, the vessel is scheduled to depart for Suriname on 15 May and begin drilling on 19 May.
The drilling of the Macaw-1 will take eighty working days. The drilling activities will be fully supported from a port facility (a shore base) in Suriname.
Block 64 is situated in the central northern region of Suriname’s territorial waters, approximately 280 kilometers from the coast, with water depths ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters. TotalEnergies holds a forty percent participation interest and serves as the operator in this collaboration. PETRONAS and QatarEnergy each possess a thirty percent stake.
At least four other exploration wells will be drilled in the second half of this year. In Block 52, where PETRONAS is the operator, there are two: Caiman-1 and Kiskadee-1. These wells will test prospects within the ‘golden lane’. In Block 5, with Chevron as the operator, the Korikori-1 will be drilled. This well lies outside the ‘golden lane’, just like the Araku Deep-1 in Block 65.
Shell is the operator in Block 65. Success of the exploration drilling program could potentially lead to new oil and gas plays in the long term. This year could potentially be a very important one for further growth of the offshore oil and gas industry in Suriname.
