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 “golden lane” refers to an area with similar subsurface characteristics, also known as a “play,” which in geology indicates regions where geological conditions are conducive to the formation, migration, and accumulation of oil and gas.
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 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 sceduled 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. This means that the supply of the drilling vessel with, among other things, materials, fuel, food and drinks will take place from a port in Paramaribo. Personnel will also be flown to and from the vessel from Paramaribo. This means another step forward in the growth of the Surinamese offshore oil and gas industry, especially for the local suppliers of goods and services (local content). The drilling activities of the four other exploration wells will also be fully supported from 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.
The Stena-DrillMAX, the drilling ship that will drill the Macaw-1 well in Block 64.
Golden lane: This overview map of the Suriname-Guyana Basin shows the 'Golden Lane.' The map also displays the various exploration and production blocks in Suriname’s offshore and onshore areas.
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