South America / GoM
Country profile: Suriname
Location: | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana |
Climate: | tropical; moderated by trade winds |
Terrain: | mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps |
Size: | 163270 sq. km total (Land area: 161470 sq. km Water area: 1800 sq.km) |
Population: | 475,996 (July 2008 est.) |
Languages: | Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese |
Government: | constitutional democracy |
Capital city: | Paramaribo |
Legal system: | based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Currency: | Surinam dollar (SRD) |
Licensing: |
Country profile
The islands of the Caribbean basin are predominantly net energy importers, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago. Agriculture and natural resource extraction activities continue to constitute the basis of the islands' economies, though the tourism and service sectors are growing. In recent years, the Caribbean countries have been worried that higher global oil prices will impair their efforts to expand economically. In response, the island nations have been discussing ways to better integrate their energy sectors, especially in regards to increased natural gas exports from Trinidad and Tobago to other islands. These efforts have also focused on the major external energy suppliers to the region, such as Mexico and Venezuela.
First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005.
Energy production and consumption
Oil | Gas | |
Production: | 9,461 bbl/day (2005 est.) | NaN |
Consumption: | 12,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) | |
Exports: | 3,151 bbl/day (2004 est.) | |
Imports: | 6,032 bbl/day (2004 est.) | |
Reserves: | 111 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) | |
Major fields: |
Suriname - recent news
18 Jan 21 |
Suriname: Maersk Drilling awarded two Suriname floater contracts by Total Based on the previously announced Conditional Letter of Award, Maersk Drilling has been awarded contracts for the deepwater rigs Maersk Valiant and Maersk Developer from Total E&P Suriname for Total’s exploration and appraisal project in Suriname’s Block 58. |
14 Jan 21 |
Suriname: Total, new operator of Block 58 offshore Suriname, announces a fourth discovery Total and Apache Corporation have made a new significant oil and gas discovery at the Keskesi East-1 well, in Block 58 off the coast of Suriname. This follows previous discoveries at Maka Central, Sapakara West and Kwaskwasi. |
15 Dec 20 |
Suriname: Fugro awarded PETRONAS contract for positioning services in Guyana-Suriname Basin Fugro has received a contract award from PETRONAS for the provision of positioning services for an exploration programme in Block 52, off the coast of the capital Paramaribo in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. |
12 Dec 20 |
Suriname: ExxonMobil discovers hydrocarbons offshore Suriname ExxonMobil and PETRONAS have discovered hydrocarbons at the Sloanea-1 exploration well on Block 52 offshore Suriname, adding to ExxonMobil’s extensive finds in the Guyana-Suriname basin. The well was drilled by operator PETRONAS, and the discovery is being evaluated to determine its resource potential. |
11 Dec 20 |
Suriname: PETRONAS makes hydrocarbon discovery in Block 52, offshore Suriname PETRONAS has announced that it made its first discovery of hydrocarbons in Suriname with the successful drilling of the Sloanea-1 exploration well located in Block 52. |
Suriname - more news
Other countries in this region
- Argentina,
- Aruba,
- Bahamas,
- Barbados,
- Belize,
- Bermuda,
- Bolivia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Colombia,
- Costa Rica,
- Cuba,
- Dominican Republic,
- Ecuador,
- Falklands,
- French Guiana,
- Grenada,
- Guatemala,
- Gulf of Mexico,
- Guyana,
- Honduras,
- Jamaica,
- Mexico,
- Nicaragua,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Peru,
- Trinidad,
- Uruguay,
- USA,
- Venezuela