US independent Kosmos Energy has failed to discover hydrocarbons with the drilling of its first exploration well off Suriname.

Kosmos drilled Anapai-1A in Block 45 with the Ensco drillship Ensco DS-12, but despite encountering high-quality reservoirs, the probe came up dry and was later plugged and abandoned.

“Unsuccessful wells like Anapai are unavoidable for a company drilling for high rewards in an emerging basin,” wrote David Round, an analyst at BMO Capital Markets.

Anapai-1A was drilled to a total depth of 4556 metres and was designed to test lower Cretaceous reservoirs in a structural trap on the flank of the basin.

Kosmos intends now to deploy the Ensco-12 to spud the Pontoenoe-1 wildcat in Block 42 during the third quarter.

“We are still in the early stages of exploring this newly-emerging basin and our forward drilling programme remains unchanged, given the independent nature of the prospects,” said Kosmos chief executive Andrew Inglis.

Pontoenoe-1 is the first of three wells planned by Kosmos in Block 42, and will likely be followed by the Aurora-1 and Apetina-1 probes.

“Pontoenoe is a similar play type to the Turbot and Longtail discoveries located approximately 70 kilometres to the west in Guyana,” he added.

Kosmos operates blocks 42 and 45 with 33.34% and 50% stakes, respectively.

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Suriname probe is dry hole