…GCAA says Bristow to bring 6th helicopter, Trans Guyana acquires new Beechcraft

AS the country moves closer to first oil, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is seeing an increase in applications for the operation of offshore helicopters.

This is according to GCAA’s Director General Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field. During a press conference on Tuesday at his High Street office, Field explained that the operators are applying to the Civil Aviation Authority for Foreign Air Operators’ Certificates, primarily for the operation of offshore helicopters.

“As we speak, there are two or three companies in discussion with us right now. The names I would not mention but there have been an increase in activities,” the director general told reporters.

He disclosed that Bristow, which is providing U.S oil giant ExxonMobil with offshore helicopter services, will soon bring in a sixth helicopter. He said based on his information, within months, three additional helicopters will arrive in Guyana. “As the oil industry expands you will find more and more operators coming in to do work for the offshore industry,” Field said.

Bristow Group is the leading provider of industrial aviation services, offering helicopter transportation, search and rescue (SAR) and aircraft support services to government and civil organisations worldwide.

The GCAA director general also disclosed too that Trans Guyana Airways acquired its third Beechcraft. “I am sure that acquisition has something to do with the oil industry. As you know, they moved some Exxon workers out to Trinidad and Barbados, so this third Beech 99 will certainly augur well for the industry,” he told reporters.

Trans Guyana Airways acquired its second Beechcraft 1900D aircraft in 2016 when it took the decision to expand its operations to reach the regional market.

With Tullow Oil, Repsol and CGX expected to commence drilling operations soon, Field anticipates that GCAA will be flooded with applications. He charged his staff to do their best in serving not only the budding industry, but the entire aviation industry with distinction. “I am calling on the staff of the Civil Aviation Authority to just strengthen their backs because there is a lot of work ahead of us,” he said.

Since 2015, ExxonMobil and its partners have made 12 discoveries in the Stabroek Block. The tenth discovery had increased the estimated recoverable resource for the Stabroek Block to more than 5B oil-equivalent barrels. Liza Phase One is expected to start off at 120,000 barrels per day in 2020. In 2022 and 2023, two other wells are expected to come on stream.