Total, Apache Make Major Find off Suriname

France’s Total and the US’ Apache has reported a “significant” light oil and gas-rich condensate discovery off the coast of Suriname.

The find was made at the Maka Central-1 well at block 58 in waters around 1,000 metres, on trend with prolific discoveries made at the neighbouring Stabroek block in Guyana, Total said in a January 7 statement. The well encountered more than 123 metres of net pay in Upper Cretaceous Campanian and Santonian reservoirs.

“We are very pleased with this first significant oil discovery, made just after our entry into Block 58. The result is very encouraging and proves the extension of the prolific world-class Guyana Cretaceous oil play into Suriname waters,” Total’s senior vice president for exploration, Kevin McLachlan, said. “We are optimistic about the large remaining potential of the area still to be discovered and will test several other prospects on the same block.”

Apache CEO John Christmann commented:  “Block 58 comprises 1.4mn acres and offers significant potential beyond the discovery at Maka Central. We have identified at least seven distinct play types and more than 50 prospects within the thermally mature play fairway.”

The partners plan another exploration well at the Sapaka West-1 prospect. After a third is sunk, operatorship of the block will pass from Apache to Total. Each company has a 50% interest in the project.