Malaysia's state-controlled energy producer Petronas has made another gas discovery at offshore Block 52 in Suriname, the South American country's President Jennifer Simons said on June 23, while a company executive said the block's eight discoveries contain more than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Suriname is seeking to follow neighbouring Guyana's transformation into a major oil producer through offshore developments led by international energy companies.
Petronas is expected to make a final investment decision this year to develop offshore natural gas reserves in Suriname after declaring its Sloanea discovery commercially viable in the same block. The company has also been exploring for oil.
Suriname's state-run energy firm Staatsolie is offering an open-door licensing round covering over 70,000 square kilometers (27,027 square miles) across five offshore sectors. It allows companies to propose work programs and secure production-sharing contracts or joint study agreements to improve seismic data available.
