Suriname's $26 Billion Oil Bet Is Finally Paying Off

Middle East turmoil, centered on the U. S. war with Iran, is playing havoc with world energy markets. An ongoing dispute over access to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of world oil and natural gas supply is shipped, is causing prices to surge.

This is a boon for South America's oil industry, particularly Suriname's emerging petroleum boom, which was delayed by conflicting drilling results and seismic data. The former Dutch colony is on the cusp of becoming South America's next major oil-producing nation.