One of the clearest signals of this shift comes from Suriname, which is rapidly emerging as the Caribbean’s next major oil and gas frontier. With a string of offshore discoveries – estimated at 2.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent and 12.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas – the country is preparing to drill at least ten wells between 2025 and 2027 in the Guyana–Suriname Basin. The scale of these prospects positions Suriname as a strong candidate for collaboration with major regional players.

A key development came in 2024, when Brazilian multinational Petrobras signed an MoU with Staatsolie, Suriname’s state oil company, to explore cooperation opportunities. The agreement covers knowledge exchange and the potential for Petrobras to participate in future exploration activities in Suriname, reflecting the company’s interest in the country’s offshore sector. Leveraging decades of pre-salt experience – covering some of the world’s largest deepwater discoveries, advanced subsea systems and ultra-deepwater drilling – Petrobras brings technical capabilities that closely align with Suriname’s emerging offshore profile. At CEW’s Atlantic Basin Business Forum, Petrobras’ potential role in Suriname’s next phase of development is expected to be a major discussion point as work accelerates on its flagship projects.

African service and logistics providers – particularly from Angola, Nigeria and Ghana – also represent potential support for the Caribbean’s offshore expansion. With experience operating in frontier basins, these companies bring capabilities in marine logistics, fabrication, EPC services and supply-chain management, which could complement Caribbean projects as cross-Atlantic partnerships continue to evolve.

Crucially, the scope of investment among Southern partners is expanding beyond upstream hydrocarbons. Industrialization – through free-trade zones, processing plants, logistics hubs and emerging intra-regional supply chains – is beginning to gain real traction. In March 2025, Afreximbank established the first Africa Trade Center in Barbados, strengthening Caribbean access to African markets and creating structural links in logistics, trade finance and investment. Building on this momentum, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean announced in November 2025 a $40 billion financing program to support sustainable growth and the energy transition across Latin America and the Caribbean, including renewable energy projects, infrastructure and trade facilitation – demonstrating the scale at which regional development banks are mobilizing South-South investment.

That said, challenges remain. Regulatory frameworks in many Caribbean jurisdictions are still developing, demand scale is lower than in larger basins, and infrastructure gaps persist. Effective South‑South cooperation requires harmonized standards, capacity building and mechanisms to ensure local content and community benefits. The Atlantic Basin Business Forum will play a central role in addressing these structural gaps, offering a coordinated space for Caribbean, Brazilian and African leaders to outline shared standards, align investment objectives and deepen institutional cooperation across the Atlantic.

The Caribbean’s upcoming Energy Week arrives as the region advances from energy import‑dependence to partnership‑driven investment, industrialization and growth. South‑South collaboration is increasingly becoming the operational backbone of how Caribbean nations are mobilizing resources, sharing expertise and creating the foundations for a more secure energy future. CEW 2026 offers a strategic platform for the region’s leaders and investors to align around this vision, structure the deals that will deliver it and ensure the Caribbean’s energy security is underpinned by solidarity, scale and strategic partnership.

Join us in shaping the future of Caribbean energy. To participate in this landmark event, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.