Suriname fossil fuels

Growing exploration activities

eyesonsuriname

Amsterdam, 27 april 2024– Hess Corporation said exploration activities are planned this year for two Suriname blocks in which it holds stakes – Block 42 and Block 59.

The note is part of the company’s annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Block 42’s previous operator, Kosmos Energy, had drilled the Pontoenoe-1 well in 2018 and found no hydrocarbons, before selling its interest and operatorship to Shell in 2020.

Shell drilled the Zanderij well in 2023. Greg Hill, Chief Operating Officer at Hess had said during a 2023 earnings conference that “the well demonstrated a working petroleum system and encountered oil pay.” 

The discovery was not well publicized. Hill did not state the size of the discovery, only that the well results were being evaluated and further exploration activities are being considered.

Shell, Chevron and Hess each own a 33.3% stake in Block 42. The license area adjoins the northern side of TotalEnergies’ Block 58 and ExxonMobil’s Canje Block from the eastern side at the Guyana border.

Block 59 is 2.8 million acres (4,430 square miles), according to the 2017 Exxon release announcing the licensing. The block is in water depths ranging from nearly 2,000 meters to 3,600 meters. It adjoins Block 42 on its northern side and open acreage on the Guyana side.

ExxonMobil, Equinor and Hess each own a 33.3% stake in Block 59. Exxon is the operator. 

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