Suriname’s Gas-to-Shore Vision: What the Sloanea breakthrough really unlocks

Dec. 9 (oilnow.gy) Suriname’s long-discussed gas-to-shore ambitions are gaining new momentum following PETRONAS’ recent declaration of commerciality for the Sloanea field in Block 52.

The Sloanea-1 discovery, drilled in 2020, is now confirmed as a commercially viable gas field following appraisal work and technical studies carried out over the past two years. PETRONAS holds an 80 percent operating interest in Block 52, with the remaining 20 percent held by Staatsolie’s subsidiary, Paradise Oil Company.

The project will be developed using subsea wells tied back to a floating LNG (FLNG) facility, positioning Suriname to enter the global liquefied natural gas market for the first time. 

FLNG allows gas to be processed, liquefied and exported at sea, without the need for an immediate onshore plant. Gas-to-shore, by contrast, requires a deepwater pipeline to bring gas to land for power generation. While FLNG is part of the current development concept, Suriname’s wider offshore potential keeps the gas-to-shore conversation open, particularly if future discoveries increase total available volumes.

That broader potential became more significant this year when PETRONAS secured a new Production Sharing Contract for Block 66, expanding its acreage in addition to Blocks 9, 10, 48, 52, 53, 63 and 64. 

New blocks do not guarantee discoveries, but they strengthen the case for long-term gas planning. Additional reserves could eventually support domestic gas supply, energy diversification, or industrial development, areas repeatedly highlighted by policymakers as priorities for national growth.

While Suriname’s deepwater sector has drawn international attention primarily for its oil discoveries, the commercialisation of Sloanea signals the emergence of a second strategic pillar: gas monetisation. For Suriname, gas-to-shore is not a single project but a pathway that could support power generation, industry and, in the long term, exports. 

The next steps for Sloanea are technical. PETRONAS and Staatsolie are preparing a full field development plan before a Final Investment Decision (FID). An FID is expected in the second half of 2026, with first gas targeted around 2030.