Founded on a commitment to delivering energy more sustainably, TotalEnergies is a globally integrated energy company where the planet and its people are at the heart of every strategy, project, and operation it conducts. The company has a long history across the globe and is now present in more than 120 countries worldwide. Across its international network, TotalEnergies works to make energy delivery more reliable, affordable, and sustainable. However, its current offshore exploration and development projects in Suriname mark a vital step in TotalEnergies’ leading energy operations within South America, where the company already has multiple developments, including developments in the neighbouring countries of Brazil and French Guiana.
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TotalEnergies has been present in Suriname for around 5 years, with 5 significant discoveries in the Block 58 offshore area. Block 58 is part of a partnership with APA Corporation, with both companies owning a 50% interest in the development. In 2023, TotalEnergies announced a significant oil project in Block 58, as well as a development study. The area includes the Sapakara South and Krabdagu oil fields, which have a confirmed combined estimated recoverable resource of close to 750 million barrels for the 2 fields. The GranMorgu oil project will be developed in Block 58 offshore Suriname and will deliver new wells at depths of between 100 and 100 metres across the Block. Oil will be produced through this system of subsea wells, which will ultimately be connected to an FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit) also located off the Suriname Coast. Once completed, the project is expected to have an oil production capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) and contribute significantly to the development of oil across Suriname. Thus, for TotalEnergies, the project will mark a significant milestone for the company’s development of oil and gas resources in Suriname.
In October 2024, TotalEnergies and Saatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. (Staatsolie) met in Paramaribo to announce the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the GranMorgu development located within Block 58. The announcement outlined how the GranMorgu project will develop the Sapakara and Krabdagu oil discoveries to build upon its successful exploration and appraisal period in 2023. The GranMorgu project, with a total investment of $10.5 billion, will be a key driver for investment on a local scale, contributing to local employment and the continued economic development of Suriname. For this reason, Paramaribo, the country’s capital, will be the centre for administrative, operations support and logistical activities for the entire project. In fact, for local companies, logistics, maintenance of the installation, as well as the subsea and FPSO operation, will see between $1-1.5 billion invested in local content, creating 6,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs across Suriname. Once completed, production is expected to start up in 2028.
The project is currently held in a 50% equal partnership between TotalEnergies and APA Corporation. However, following the GranMorgu project announcement, Staatsolie (Suriname’s state-owned oil company) outlined its interest in exercising its option to enter the development project at 20% interest, making contributions towards the project following the FID. Staatsolie will finalise its interest by June 2025.
One of the key sustainable aspects of the GranMorgu development in Block 58 is that it will leverage technology to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. The project aims to specifically cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from each barrel of oil produced. A key step in achieving this will be the GranMorgu FPSO, which will be an all-electric vessel with zero routine flaring and full reinjection of associated gas into the reservoirs. The FPSO is designed to accommodate future tie-back opportunities that would extend the duration of its production plateau. Additionally, the FPSO will have a Waste Heat Recovery unit and water-cooling system, which will optimise the power usage across the vessel and improve its overall efficiency. To help further cut down on emissions, the project aims to install a permanent methane detection and monitoring system that will rely on a network of sensors to enhance the unit’s overall sustainability by reducing methane release.
The construction of the FPSO vessel for the GranMorgu development has been contracted to Technip Energies, who will build and install the vessel, whilst SBM Offshore has been contracted to operate the platform under an operations and maintenance agreement. Technip Energies will also help deliver the all-electric drive platform, which will help the vessel deliver its reduced emissions, with zero routine flaring and full reinjection of associated gas into the reservoirs. A final contract has been awarded to Saipem, which will conduct the EPCI scope for subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines. Its work will span the delivery of 100km of 10-12 inch subsea production flowlines and 90km of 8-12 inch water and gas injection, as well as the transport and installation of the flexible risers, umbilicals, and associated structures at depths ranging from 100 to 1,100 metres. These vital contracts will help TotalEnergies to deliver its sustainable mission for the GranMorgu development block.
The entire project at Block 58 will deliver significant oil developments for Suriname and add to TotalEnergies’ network across South America. In the FID announcement press release, Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, outlined that “Building on TotalEnergies’ pioneering spirit, this landmark project marks the first offshore development in the country and capitalises on our extensive expertise in deep offshore innovation. Launched only a year after the end of appraisal, GranMorgu fits with our strategy to accelerate time-to-market and develop low-cost and low-emission oil projects.” Pouyanné’s comments here highlight the vast role the project will play within Suriname and the company’s role in delivering a project that meets its central mission to make affordable yet sustainable energy more widely available across the world.
The GranMorgu project marks the vital beginning of a long and important era for Suriname’s energy sector. The project will deliver significant growth for the country, and so the project will be essential for delivering major economic benefits for the local economy through the labour, goods and services from local content that will be required to construct, operate and maintain the project to deliver consistent oil for the country. Oil production is expected to begin from 2028, where the majority of the project’s income will be delivered to the State of Suriname in the form of royalties, profit oil and taxes. The national oil company and TotalEnergies plan to continue to work closely together, and throughout the project will focus on attracting as many local goods and services as possible, mirroring its focus on local content as has been seen across the exploration and evaluation phase of the development.
In addition to the Block 58 developments, TotalEnergies has previously signed a sharing contract for 2 shallow offshore blocks. These blocks, 6 and 8, have been awarded to TotalEnergies following the Suriname Shallow Offshore Bid Round 2021/2021, where TotalEnergies took on the operation of the two blocks with 40% interest. The operation is in partnership with Qatar Energy, which has a 20% interest, and Paradise Oil Company (POC), a subsidiary of Staatsolie, which also has a 40% interest in the development. Blocks 6 and 8 are located towards the south of Suriname, not far from the border to Guyana, and directly adjacent to Block 58.
The Senior Vice President of Exploration for TotalEnergies, Kevin McLachlan, states in the press release for the Block 6 and 8 development that “TotalEnergies is pleased to expand its operatorship position in Suriname, a world-class emerging basin, exploring for low technical costs and low GHG emission oil resources”. He continues, “This new milestone further strengthens our strategic international partnership with Qatar Energy, marking its first entry to Suriname”. As we can see from McLachlan’s comments, TotalEnergies’ span across Suriname has established it as a key player in the country’s energy industry. With significant developments in Block 58 and Blocks 6 and 8, TotalEnergies continues working with crucial partners and players across the global industry to bring sustained economic growth and a wider sphere of energy potential to the region.
As TotalEnergies continues to expand its reach across Suriname’s energy sector, the company announced in June 2025 that it had signed an agreement to acquire a 25% interest in Block 53 in Suriname. The interest in Block 53 was previously held by Moeve, formerly known as CEPSA, and so TotalEnergies will now join the operators of the block, APA (45%) and Petronas (30%), as a partner in the license. The block is significant as it is located directly east of the Block 58 developments, where TotalEnergies has its GranMorgu development. Block 53 is home to the Baja-1 discovery, the first oil to be found in the block, where over 34 metres of oil were encountered in the Campanian formation. This discovery is a significant down-dip extension of the same deposit system as the Krabdagu discovery in Block 58. TotalEnergies hopes to develop here, utilising the existing infrastructure of the GranMorgu project.
Javier Rielo, Senior Vice President America, Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies, outlines in the announcement that “This acquisition brings new resources to the development of our low-cost and low-emission GranMorgu project”. Rielo continues, “It also proves how TotalEnergies will leverage GranMorgu infrastructure to develop profitably additional resources and extend its production plateau, strengthening the position of the Company in the offshore of Suriname”. Rielo’s comments highlight the continued development and exploration of TotalEnergies in Suriname to deliver significant energy resources for the country. By utilising the existing networks and infrastructure of the neighbouring GranMorgu development, TotalEnergies can streamline its operations and deliver even greater economic benefits from the Block, solidifying Suriname’s position as a key and developing oil producer for the future.
Outside of Suriname, TotalEnergies’ operations across South America remain vast. One of the largest operations in South America is in Brazil, where the company has been operating for close to 50 years. Across Brazil, TotalEnergies is present in almost every aspect of energy development, from exploration, production, and renewable and green gas development to marketing and services. With such a span across the country’s energy sector from upstream to downstream, TotalEnergies’ operations in Brazil are emblematic of the global company’s multi-energy strategy. Employing more than 3000 professionals, Brazil is a vital market for TotalEnergies as the country is home to pre-salt fields, which emit less greenhouse gases for each barrel produced than the world average. This means that TotalEnergies is focused on producing oil with low operating costs across the highest quality fields to meet the energy needs of today, whilst limiting its emissions to protect the world of the future.
TotalEnergies currently has 11 licenses across its Brazilian oil and gas portfolio, including 4 operated assets across the Santos and Campos Basins in the deep waters and pre-salt layer. One of the most notable fields is the Lapa field, where TotalEnergies became the first international company to operate a production field in the Brazilian pre-salt, and the Mero, Sépia, Atapu Fields and the Lara area, all located in the Santos Basin. With such a wide span across Brazil’s energy development, TotalEnergies expects to produce 200,000 boe/d by 2026.
In French Guiana, TotalEnergies’ operations focus on the downstream sector with the development of petroleum products and retail speciality at service stations, as well as renewable electricity. The company currently has around 10 service stations across French Guiana, which offer fuel, products and related services. Beyond its retail, TotalEnergies also operates several solar power plants across French Guiana through its affiliates Total Eren and Sunzil, which are delivering more sustainable energy across the country every day whilst working towards a more sustainable energy future. TotalEnergies’ role across French Guiana is to deliver vital downstream resources, whilst working to develop sustainable energy solutions that can meet the demand of today, whilst limiting its impact on the planet.
With the company’s presence across many neighbouring countries, it’s clear to see that Suriname and the surrounding region are primed for development, supported by the company’s expertise and network across South America. With this span of expertise being focused on Suriname, it is no surprise that TotalEnergies was a vital attendee at the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2025. SEOG is the largest energy offshore event in Suriname, which brings together leading energy companies across both regional and international audiences. The event was developed by Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname, Suriname’s national energy, oil and gas company, and organised by Global Event Partners Ltd (GEP) and Fossil Energy Consulting. Thanks to GEP and Staatsolie, SEOGS is the leading place for discussion, development and investment into Suriname’s energy sector, facilitated largely by the office opened by the organisation in Paramaribo to continue to support the region’s energy sector and wide portfolio. Leading global partners attending the event include the likes of Petronas and TotalEnergies, who are crucial in supporting Suriname’s energy development. However, the event is also pivotal for bringing together multiple local and international key sponsors and suppliers across the energy sector to enhance Suriname’s global energy development.
The most recent SEOGS event was held in mid-June in Paramaribo, Suriname, where over 200 speakers and more than 250 exhibitors were present. The event also saw over 12,000 attendees, highlighting the event’s role as the largest energy event in the Caribbean. The 4-day summit event provides ample opportunities for attendees, the government and energy companies to share about the vital energy development and potential of Suriname’s offshore deposits. Therefore, the event encourages investment, development and project opportunities for companies looking to get involved in one of the world’s most exciting oil and gas hotspots. Beyond the summer, a 3-day technical conference event delivered pivotal networking opportunities to help local and international stakeholders develop relationships to help deliver partnerships working towards the longevity of Suriname’s energy development.
SEOGS 2025 marks the 5th year of the event, and this year, one of the central focuses was on sustainability. With the opening of SEOGS 2025, President Chandrikapersad Santokhi outlined Suriname’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity in the growth of the country’s energy sector, with a central focus that ‘oil and gas resources must benefit all of our people’. These words were followed by the keynote address from Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanné, which reiterated the company’s commitment to the sustainable development of the GranMorgu project within Block 58 and across the Suriname-Guyana Basin. Pouyanné outlined in the message that TotalEnergies’ project within Block 58 will create over 6000 jobs, inject more than $1.5 billion into the local economy, and deliver more than 750 million barrels of oil to the market at a cost below US$20 the barrel. For this reason, Pouyanné highlighted that the GranMorgu project is part of a more than US$10 million investment that is designed to address sustainable energy values.
This focus on sustainability remained a key focus for the entire event, with Pouyanné reiterating how the project will continue to focus on sustainability features throughout its development, with a particular focus on ensuring its FPSOs are electrical and are delivered alongside a permanent methane monitoring system. In addition to this, TotalEnergies will also ensure the reinjection of associated gas throughout the project. This focus on sustainability throughout the project is set to help both TotalEnergies and Suriname meet their goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
Ultimately, TotalEnergies’ projects across South America highlight the company’s mission to make energy more accessible, sustainable, and affordable across the globe. In Suriname, in particular, the development will strategically enhance the country’s existing energy infrastructure and ensure a more seamless delivery of energy across the region. With Suriname’s continued energy development supported by the government and local stakeholders, and highlighted through the SEOGS event, the region is now a vital hub for energy investment across the Caribbean. For TotalEnergies, Suriname will now add to its vast portfolio in South America, which works cohesively to leverage its expertise across the region’s energy sector and enhance Suriname’s role within the global energy market.
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