A unit of ExxonMobil formally notified Suriname’s state-owned oil and gas company SurStaatsolie earlier this month that it will withdraw from developments in the country’s offshore Block 52 (see map below). 

The block covers an area of 4,749 square kilometers (2,950 miles) and is located north of the Suriname’s coast. A gas discovery was made in this block in 2020 with the Sloanea-1 exploration well.

ExxonMobil Exploration & Production Suriname’s withdrawal took effect November 14, and its 50% working interest will be transferred to Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas Suriname which also operates the block. This will make Petronas the sole owner of Block 52 where operations will continue as usual. Petronas is also exploring the gas discovery by drilling the Sloanea-2 appraisal well.  

ExxonMobil's exit from Block 52 is part of its ongoing evaluation of its global portfolio. It’s also coming at a time when their E&P activities in neighboring Guyana are making great strides. Its joint-venture offshore Stabroek block is producing over 650 Mb/d of oil from its three operating projects.

Staebroek, with ExxonMobil as operator and 45% owner, is a joint development with Hess and CNOOC. Its oil is making it into global markets, notably the U.S. West Coast (see Break My Stride and My Guy). The Stabroek project will get a fourth Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility — ONE GUYANA — in Q2 2025, destined for its Yellowtail venture. The owners want to grow output capacity to 1.3 MMb/d by end-2027 when all its six projects are in service.

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