We are carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed exploration drilling programme off the coast of Suriname. This page explains what is planned, how the environment and fisheries will be protected, and how you can take part.
PetroChina Investment Suriname B.V. (PCIS), in partnership with Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname, is proposing an offshore exploration drilling programme in Blocks 14 & 15. The purpose is to confirm whether oil and gas resources identified by earlier survey work are present, and to reduce geological uncertainty before any decision on future development.
This follows the completed 3D marine seismic survey of the area. Before any drilling can take place, an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be prepared and approved by Suriname’s Nationale Milieu Autoriteit (NMA). The EIA studies the marine environment, identifies potential effects, and sets out how they will be avoided, reduced and managed.
We are now in the assessment and consultation phase, and we want to hear from fishers, coastal communities, authorities and other stakeholders.
Operator: PetroChina Investment Suriname B.V. (PCIS)
Partner: Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname
Location: Offshore Blocks 14 & 15, approximately 140 km from shore
Activity: Exploration drilling (temporary, well-by-well)
Regulator: Nationale Milieu Autoriteit (NMA)
Independent EIA consultant: ILACO / Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST)
Exploration drilling is a temporary activity. A mobile offshore drilling unit (a jack-up rig) is positioned over a location, drills a well to study the rock layers below the seabed, and then moves on. It is not a permanent production platform.
A jack-up rig is towed to the location, lowers its legs to the seabed and raises its hull above the water to form a stable, temporary drilling platform. Support and supply vessels service it from port.
A well is drilled in sections. Drilling fluid (“mud”) controls pressure and carries rock cuttings back up. Water-based and synthetic-based muds are used and managed to recognised standards.
Data from the well is analysed. Each well is a temporary operation lasting weeks to a few months. If nothing viable is found, the well is safely sealed and abandoned.
The EIA examines the whole marine environment — water, seabed, marine mammals, turtles, fish, birds and the people who depend on the sea. The measures below are being developed and will be captured in an Environmental Management & Monitoring Plan (EMMP).
Prevention comes first. Wells are engineered with multiple independent barriers, including a blowout preventer (BOP), continuous monitoring and trained crews, all designed to keep the well under control at every stage.
Trained Marine Fauna Observers watch for whales, dolphins, turtles and sharks. Vessel speeds and routes avoid sensitive areas, lighting is managed to reduce attraction, and procedures reduce disturbance from underwater sound.
A Fisheries Liaison Officer stays in contact with fishing vessels, activities and safety zones are communicated in advance, and a Grievance Redress Mechanism lets anyone raise a concern — with follow-up.
Discharges are controlled under MARPOL and regional standards. Rock cuttings and muds are treated and managed; other wastes are separated, tracked and taken to licensed facilities onshore.
We take the risk of an oil spill seriously and do not dismiss it. Exploration drilling carries a low but real risk, so preparedness is built on two pillars — preventing a spill from happening, and being ready to respond quickly if one ever did. A dedicated Oil Spill Response Plan is being prepared and coordinated with the Suriname authorities.
Response strategies are chosen to give the best overall outcome for the environment, using spill modelling, surveillance, containment and recovery, and — only with the coastal State’s approval — other techniques where they genuinely help. Sensitive areas such as fishing grounds and the coast are prioritised for protection.
Your knowledge of the sea and coast makes the assessment better. There are several formal opportunities to give input, and you can raise a concern at any time.
• Attend a public consultation meeting
• Send written comments during the public review period
• Speak with the Fisheries Liaison Officer at sea or at port
• Contact us any time through the details below
Anyone can raise a concern or complaint through our Grievance Redress Mechanism. Every submission is logged, acknowledged and followed up. You do not need to give a reason to ask a question.
Scan the QR code with your phone to register your grievance online.
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. If yours isn’t here, please get in touch.
A temporary exploration drilling programme to study the rock layers beneath the seabed and confirm whether oil and gas are present. It is an information-gathering step. It is not a production project, and any future development would need its own separate assessment and approvals.
The blocks lie approximately 140 km from shore, in water depths of about 38–123 m. A temporary safety zone is kept around the drilling unit while it operates. We give advance notice of activities and safety zones to fishing organisations and vessels, and a Fisheries Liaison Officer stays in contact throughout.
We prepare for it seriously. A dedicated Oil Spill Response Plan sets out how a spill would be detected, contained and cleaned up, coordinated with the Suriname authorities. Response is tiered: trained people and equipment are ready on site for immediate action, backed by national and international spill-response organisations for larger events, and specialist well-capping equipment for a worst-case scenario.
Response methods are chosen to give the best overall outcome for the environment, and sensitive areas such as fishing grounds and the coast are prioritised for protection. Spill modelling is used to plan where resources would be needed.
A major spill from exploration drilling is a low-probability event, and prevention is the priority. Wells are designed with several independent safety barriers, including a blowout preventer, continuous well monitoring, strict operating procedures and trained crews. These layers are designed so that if one is challenged, others keep the well under control.
The main effect is a temporary safety zone around the drilling unit, which vessels are asked to keep clear of for safety. We communicate activities in advance and keep a Fisheries Liaison Officer in contact. Concerns about interference or loss can be raised through the Grievance Redress Mechanism.
Trained Marine Fauna Observers keep watch, vessels manage their speed and routes to avoid sensitive areas and reduce strike risk, and lighting is managed to reduce attraction of turtles and birds. Procedures are in place to reduce disturbance from underwater sound and vessel activity.
Routine, controlled discharges are managed under MARPOL and regional standards — for example sewage, deck drainage, and rock cuttings with associated drilling mud that are treated before discharge. Other wastes are treated onboard or separated, tracked and taken to licensed facilities onshore. The EIA assesses these discharges and sets limits and monitoring.
Effects on water quality from a well-managed operation are expected to be local and temporary, and are assessed in the EIA. Discharges are controlled to recognised standards and monitored. The distance offshore and strong ocean mixing further limit any effect on coastal and fishing waters.
Exploration improves understanding of the country’s resources and can support future decisions on energy and revenue. During the work there are opportunities for local content — use of local suppliers, services and skilled people — and for national revenue through fees and taxes.
The Nationale Milieu Autoriteit (NMA) regulates the environmental assessment and must approve the EIS before drilling can proceed. You can take part by attending consultation meetings, submitting written comments during the public review, speaking with the Fisheries Liaison Officer, or contacting us directly (see below).
Use the Grievance Redress Mechanism via the contact details below. Every concern is logged, acknowledged and followed up. You can ask a question or raise an issue at any time, and you do not need to give a reason. You can also scan the QR code provided above to register your grievance online.
The final EIS is submitted to the NMA for a decision. Drilling can only proceed if the NMA approves it, and would be carried out in line with the approved Environmental Management & Monitoring Plan, with ongoing monitoring and reporting.
We welcome your questions and concerns about the project and the EIA. Please reach out through any of the channels below.