圭亞那-蘇里南盆地是地球上迄今為止最令人振奮的石油前沿之一  

石油巨頭們正爭相從圭亞那-蘇里南盆地的巨大潛力中分一杯羹  

圭亞那已經出現了巨大的經濟意外之財，鄰國蘇里南也在尋求從中獲利 

據油價網11月14日報道，20世紀60年代至80年代，在圭亞那-蘇里南盆地鉆了一系列干井后，圭亞那和蘇里南的近海地區被全球能源公司忽視了。2015年，埃克森美孚公司在圭亞那近海面積達660萬英畝的斯塔布魯克區塊的麗莎油田的重要石油發現重新點燃了石油巨頭們的興趣。 

隨后，斯塔布魯克區塊又獲得了30多個世界級的石油發現，這表明圭亞那-蘇里南盆地的可采油氣資源量比美國地質調查局以前估計的要多。美國地質勘探局此前將這個沉積盆地評為世界上第二大最有潛力的海上盆地，認為它與非洲西海岸近海，特別是世界一流的朱比利油田所在塔諾盆地的地質相似。 

圭亞那巨大的石油繁榮勢頭持續增長，給圭亞那帶來了巨大的經濟意外之財，鄰國蘇里南的政府對遲遲未能開發這個貧困國家領海內的巨大油氣資源感到焦慮和憤怒。 蘇里南有望成為世界上最炙手可熱的近海石油產區之一。

自2020年初以來，蘇里南海上獲得了許多石油發現。2020年1月初，美國阿帕奇公司和擁有50%股份的合作伙伴法國道達爾能源公司在蘇里南海上第58號區塊（區塊58）的Maka Central-1井進行了首個勘探鉆井作業，Maka Central-1井在鉆進過程中發現了164英尺（50米）厚的輕質原油和凝析油遠景區。投資銀行摩根士丹利宣布，區塊58可能擁有65億桶可采石油資源，區塊58據信擁有穿過附近斯塔布魯克區塊的同一條石油通路。截至今年年初，阿帕奇公司和道達爾能源公司在區塊58獲得了5個商業石油發現。合作伙伴時下正在區塊58中鉆取Awari遠景構造，后者位于Maka Central-1井首個發現的北部大約17英里處。

2020年12月，馬來西亞國家石油公司宣布，該公司和擁有50%股份的合作伙伴埃克森美孚公司在蘇里南近海第52號區塊（區塊52）鉆探的Sloanea-1勘探井發現了碳氫化合物。馬來西亞國家石油公司繼續評估這個發現的潛力，以及是否具有商業開發可行性。馬來西亞國家石油公司在區塊48擁有100%的股份，同時也是區塊48的運營商，在蘇里南海上區塊53擁有30%的股份。今年8月下旬，阿帕奇公司宣布在區塊53的Baja-1勘探井首次發現石油，該區塊毗鄰區塊58和區塊52。阿帕奇公司在區塊53持有45%的股份，馬來西亞國家石油公司持有30%的股份，西班牙能源公司CEPSA持有25%的股份。阿帕奇公司請求蘇里南國家石油公司和蘇里南油氣監管機構將產量分成合同所允許的勘探期限延長一年。如果獲得批準，阿帕奇公司將有更多的時間進行評估鉆井和其他勘探活動，以確定發現的規模和范圍。 

今年10月，全球能源巨頭殼牌公司宣布部署在區塊42的Zanderji-1井發現了石油。殼牌公司持有該區塊33.3%的股份，擔任該區塊的運營商，而合作伙伴赫斯公司和雪佛龍公司各持有三分之一的股份。赫斯公司表示，合作伙伴目前正在對該發現進行評估，以確定工作石油系統是否具有商業開發的價值。區塊42位于蘇里南近海區塊58和53的北部，靠近圭亞那近海高產的斯塔布魯克區塊。蘇里南近海最新發現的碳氫化合物突顯出，這個前荷蘭殖民地的領海內蘊藏著巨大的潛在石油財富。

位于帕拉馬里博的蘇里南政府正急切地尋求從全球能源公司吸引更多的投資，以勘探和開發蘇里南近海的油氣資源， 這包括確立一些能源行業最慷慨的產量分成合同(PSC)。PSC的合同期限為30年，比其他拉美國家提供的同等合同多出10年，為石油公司提供了相當長的時間來成功開發和開采任何已發現的碳氫化合物。為了急切吸引本國需要的外國能源投資，蘇里南還制定了6.25%的低礦區使用費。盡管這一礦區使用費高于圭亞那政府為埃克森美孚公司牽頭的國際財團開發斯塔布魯克區塊制定的2%的礦區使用費，但這也是拉丁美洲最低的礦區使用費之一。阿根廷的石油礦區使用費相當于井口產量的12%。在巴西，對所產石油征收15%的礦區使用費，而哥倫比亞是8%～25%，厄瓜多爾是12.5%～18.5%。 

蘇里南迄今為止發現的原油都是輕質到中質含硫量低的原油，這一事實放大了蘇里南近海原油的吸引力。這意味著它更便宜、更容易提煉成高質量的燃料，而且與委內瑞拉、哥倫比亞和厄瓜多爾生產的更重、含硫量更高的原油相比，提取它的碳成本更低。據估計，蘇里南項目的盈虧平衡價格為每桶40美元的布倫特原油，隨著開發力度的加大，以及重要基礎設施的到位，這個價格有望進一步下跌。由于這些原因，蘇里南近海對國際能源公司來說是一個有吸引力的投資管轄區域，特別是考慮到許多拉丁美洲國家的盈虧平衡價格要高得多。  

根據蘇里南國家石油公司（Staatsolie）公布的數據，蘇里南近海擁有高達300億桶的可采油當量資源。Staatsolie和行業監管機構最近啟動了2022/2023年新一輪德梅拉拉招標，招標將在2023年5月31日結束。德梅拉拉招標包括6個區塊（區塊63到區塊68），位于蘇里南近海以及位于已發現石油的深水區塊的東北部。

如果蘇里南能夠適當地開發這一巨大的油氣潛力，這將為這個大約60萬人口的極度貧困的南美國家帶來巨大的經濟意外之財。要實現這一目標，還需要克服許多障礙。最直接的障礙是阿帕奇公司和道達爾能源公司決定推遲開發區塊58的財務投資決策，原因是地震數據和鉆井數據之間存在異常現象。 

李峻 編譯自 油價網

原文如下：

Oil Majors Are Betting Big On Suriname

·     The Guyana-Suriname Basin is one of the most exciting oil frontiers on the planet.

·     Oil majors are scrambling to get in on both the basin’s massive potential. 

·     Guyana has already seen a tremendous economic windfall, and neighboring Suriname is looking to cash in as well.

After a series of dry wells were drilled in the Guyana-Suriname Basin from the 1960s through to the 1980s, offshore Guyana and Suriname were ignored by global energy companies. Interest was reignited by ExxonMobil’s discovery of the Liza oilfield in the 6.6-million-acre Stabroek Block offshore Guyana in 2015. That was followed by a swathe of over 30 world-class discoveries in the block, indicating the basin holds more recoverable hydrocarbon resources than the U.S. Geological Survey estimated. The USGS previously rated the sedimentary formation as the world’s second most prospective offshore basin, with it believed to share geology with offshore West Coast Africa, notably the Tano Basin, where the world-class Jubilee oilfield is located. Guyana’s massive oil boom, which keeps gaining momentum and delivering a tremendous economic windfall, sees the government in neighboring Suriname chafing at the bit to exploit the vast hydrocarbon wealth thought to exist in the impoverished country’s territorial waters. Suriname is poised to become one of the world's hottest offshore oil frontiers.

Since early 2020 there have been a number of oil discoveries in offshore Suriname. The first in offshore Suriname Block 58 was made by Apache and 50% partner TotalEnergies in early January 2020 at the Maka Central-1 well, which found 164 feet or 50 meters of light oil and gas condensate play. The optimism surrounding the first discovery in Block 58 saw investment bank Morgan Stanley announce that the block could contain 6.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil resources, with it believed to contain the same petroleum fairway running through the nearby Stabroek Block. By early 2022 Apache and TotalEnergies had made five commercial oil discoveries in Block 58. The partners are drilling the Awari prospect in Block 58, which is roughly 17 miles north of the first discovery in the block at the Maka Central-1 well.

In December 2020, Malaysia’s state-controlled oil company Petronas, which is the operator, announced that it and 50% partner Exxon had discovered hydrocarbons at the Sloanea-1 exploration well drilled in Block 52 offshore Suriname. Malaysia’s national oil company continues to evaluate the potential of the discovery and whether it is commercially viable to exploit. Petronas holds a 100% interest in Block 48, where it is also the operator and a 30% stake in Block 53 offshore Suriname. In late-August 2022, Apache announced the first oil discovery in Block 53, which is adjacent to Blocks 58 and 52, at the Baja-1 exploration well. Apache, which holds a 45% interest in Block 53, is the operator with the remaining 25%, after accounting for Petronas’ 30% stake, being held by Spanish energy company CEPSA. Apache has requested a one-year extension to the exploration period allowed under the production sharing contract from Staatsolie Suriname’s national oil company and hydrocarbon regulator. If approved, that will provide Apache with the additional time required to conduct appraisal drilling and other exploration activities to determine the size and scope of the discovery.

Global energy supermajor Shell, in October 2022, announced the discovery of oil at the Zanderji-1 well in Block 42. Shell which holds a 33.3% interest in the block, is the operator, while partners Hess and Chevron have a one-third interest each. According to partner Hess, the discovery is currently being evaluated to determine whether the working petroleum system found is commercially viable to exploit. Block 42 is located to the north of offshore Suriname Blocks 58 and 53 while being close to the prolific Stabroek Block in offshore Guyana. This latest hydrocarbon discovery in offshore Suriname underscores the considerable potential oil wealth that exists in the former Dutch colony’s territorial waters.

The national government in Paramaribo is feverishly seeking to attract further investment from the global energy companies needed to explore and develop offshore Suriname. This includes establishing some of the energy industry’s most generous production sharing contracts or PSCs. The 30-year PSCs, which are up to 10 years longer than equivalent contracts offered by other Latin American countries, provide oil companies with considerable time to successfully develop and exploit any hydrocarbon discoveries made. Paramaribo has also established a low royalty rate of 6.25% in order to attract urgently needed foreign energy investment. That rate, while higher than the 2% put in place by Guyana’s government for the Exxon-led consortium exploiting the Stabroek Block, is among the lowest in Latin America. Oil royalties in Argentina amount to 12% of wellhead production. In Brazil, a 15% royalty is levied on the value of the oil produced, while they from 8% to 25% in Colombia and 12.5% to 18.5% in Ecuador.

The appeal of offshore Suriname is amplified by the fact that the oil discovered to date has been light to medium with low sulfur content. That means it is cheaper and easier to refine into high-quality fuels, and there is a low carbon cost associated with its extraction compared to the heavier sourer oil grades produced in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Projects in Suriname have an estimated breakeven price of $40 per barrel Brent, which is expected to fall further as development ramps up, and vital infrastructure is put in place. For these reasons, offshore Suriname is an appealing investment jurisdiction for international energy companies, particularly when it is considered that many Latin American countries have far higher breakeven prices.

According to Staatsolie, data is has obtained points to offshore Suriname containing up to 30 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent resources. National oil company and industry regulator Staatsolie recently launched the 2022/2023 Demerara Bid Round with bids closing on 31 May 2023. This is comprised of six blocks, 63 to 68, in offshore Suriname located to the northeast of the existing deep-water blocks where discoveries have been made.

If Paramaribo can appropriately exploit that considerable hydrocarbon potential, it will deliver a significant economic windfall for the deeply impoverished South American country of roughly 600,000 people. For that to occur, many obstacles need to be overcome. The most immediate being Apache and TotalEnergies decision to delay making a financial investment decision for exploiting Block 58 because of anomalies between seismic and drilling data.