LNG

Perenco, the European oil and gas company that has recently been increasing its upstream assets, is in talks with BP to acquire gas field interests in the Caribbean LNG exporting nation Trinidad and Tobago.

ExxonMobil Corp. and its partners in huge oil and gas discoveries offshore the tiny nation of Guyana in the northeast corner of South America may develop a liquefied natural gas project at the behest of the Government.

US energy engineering company McDermott has received a limited notice to proceed for an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract from Shell for the Manatee natural gas field development project offshore the East Coast of Trinidad and Tobago with supplies destined for LNG production and domestic gas supplies.

French energy company Total and Apache Corp. of the US have made a substantial natural gas and oil discovery offshore the tiny nation of Suriname in the northeast corner of South America, the fourth find in the block, giving Suriname valuable energy resources instead of becoming an importer of LNG and relying on expensive oil products/

“We are very pleased to announce our fourth consecutive discovery in Block 58 at Keskesi, which confirms oil in the eastern portion of the block,” said John Christmann, Apache’s Chief Executive.

“We are excited to commence the appraisal program on our initial discoveries and extend our Block 58 exploration program to the north in 2021,” added Christmann.

Pursuant to the terms of its joint venture agreement, Apache transferred operatorship of Block 58 to Total on January 1, 2021.

Total said that the discoveries in the Keskesi East-1 well in Block 58 were “significant”.

“This follows previous discoveries at Maka Central, Sapakara West and Kwaskwasi,” added the French major.

The discoveries come as a growing number of Latin American and Caribbean nations are opting for LNG to meet their energy and power needs.

Total explained that the Keskesi well was drilled by a water depth of about 725 metres and encountered a total of 63 metres of net pay of hydrocarbons.

This comprised of 58 metres net black oil, volatile oil, and gas pay in good quality Campano-Maastrichtian reservoirs, along with 5 metres of net volatile oil pay in Santonian reservoirs, where wireline logging has just been performed.

Drilling is still ongoing for deeper Neocomian aged targets.

The Suriname discoveries are in the Guiana Basin, situated on the northeast of the Continent and includes parts of the offshore areas and coastal plains of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and eastern Venezuela.

The Basin is characterized by its passive-margin setting, dating back from the Cretaceous age and is similar to most other Atlantic Margin Basins, such as those in West Africa offshore Mauritania and Senegal where FLNG projects are proceeding.

Analysts note that exploration results elsewhere in the Atlantic Margin basins have demonstrated that the post-rift margins of West Africa and Brazil were characterised by comparable petroleum systems.

“We are delighted to announce this new discovery, which confirms this first exploration campaign as a full success and adds to the proven resource base” said Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President Exploration at Total.

“We are also excited, as new operator of the block, to start the appraisal operations designed to characterize the 2020 discoveries, while in parallel start a second exploration campaign on this prolific block in 2021,” added McLachlan.

Total assumed operatorship of Block 58 on January 1st, 2021, with a 50 percent working interest.

Upon completion of the operations on Keskesi East-1, the “Noble Sam Croft” drillship will be released.