Guyana eager to explore gas partnerships with Suriname

A gas partnership could be on the horizon for Guyana and Suriname, as the two countries continue to deepen their relations.

During a press conference on Thursday, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said that Guyana is eager to expand its partnership with the neighbouring country to include shared gas infrastructure.

“We are very pleased that Suriname is able to get an FID [final investment decision] now…and we are looking forward to working with Suriname on synergies…and looking at what kinds of shared infrastructure we can have, because we are the only two contiguous countries in CARICOM,” the GS said.

It was recently reported that French oil company, TotalEnergies, plans to invest $10.5 billion in developing Suriname’s first offshore oil project. The company, along with APA Corporation, plans to develop the Gran Morgu field, which holds an estimated 700 million barrels of oil.

Dr Jagdeo commended this achievement by Suriname, recognising the tremendous impact it will have on the country’s development.

“The project will focus a lot on oil, so we still need to look at the development of gas. Suriname found quite a bit of gas, and our discoveries closer to the Suriname border had more gas in them, so we still need to try to collaborate,” the GS said.

This collaboration would align with the country’s National Gas Strategy, and the wider aim of assessing the monetisation of resources beyond the Liza field within the Stabroek Block.

Dr Jagdeo said he has already spoke with Suriname’s Foreign Minister, Albert Ramdin about meeting to discuss this collaboration.

The two countries already have expanded cooperation in a number of areas. The Corentyne River Bridge, a massive project geared at enhancing connectivity between Guyana and Suriname, is already in the works.

The bridge is expected to have a lifespan of 100 years with a construction period of three years.

The project includes the infrastructural development of Long Island, to enhance connectivity and open new farmland in the El Dorado area.

This will create jobs for hundreds of farmers and boost agricultural production to advance Guyana’s food security agenda by 2025.