approximately 33-72 wells to be drilled, as ExxonMobil’s EIA awaits review, approval

THE Whiptail Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which was submitted to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval and review, has revealed that the project will require a workforce of over 500 persons.

The document read: “EEPGL estimates the project will require a workforce of approximately 540 persons at the peak of the development well drilling, approximately 100 to 180 persons at the peak of production operations (with an additional 25 to 30 personnel on board each export tanker), and approximately 60 persons at the peak of decommissioning.”
As Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) advances its plans for its massive sixth offshore development, the EIA said that it is also targetting the drilling of approximately 33 to 72 development wells and the drilling is expected to take several years.

Also, development drilling is currently scheduled from late 2024/early 2025 through mid-2030 but could extend as late as 2031.
The EIA also stated that the installation of subsea components is planned to begin in the second half of 2025 or early 2026. The Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) installation, commissioning, and start-up are planned to occur in 2027 and the project is expected to continue for at least 20 years.

Additionally, although majority of the operations will be offshore, the EIA disclosed that onshore infrastructure will be in place.
“While much of the installation and production operations activity will be offshore, the Project will also use onshore infrastructure, including, but not limited to, shore bases, warehouses, storage and pipe yards, fabrication facilities, fuel supply facilities, and waste management facilities in Guyana,” the document outlined, explaining that the infrastructure will be utilised in order to support drilling, installation, production, and decommissioning operations.

It was also stated that the project will be located in the eastern portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 195 kilometers northeast of Georgetown and other Stabroek projects.
In a brief history of the Stabroek Block, the EIA read: “In 2015, oil was discovered in the Liza field within the eastern half of the Stabroek Block. Following that discovery and based on exploration and assessment activities to date, EEPGL has identified the presence of multiple reservoirs of crude oil with an estimated recoverable resource of approximately 1.75 billion cubic meters (m3) of oil-equivalent resource in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block,” adding: “The Project is located in the Whiptail, Pinktail, and Tilapia fields (hereafter, the “Whiptail field”) approximately 195 kilometers northeast of the coastline of Georgetown in waters approximately 1,500 to 2,200 meters deep.”

Additionally, EEPGL and EIA consultants have conducted a vigorous public consultation programme throughout Regions One through Six to inform the public about the project, to understand and record stakeholder concerns, and, to the extent possible, to answer questions.

“This process began when the notice to the public indicating that an application [which] had been submitted for the project was posted on the EPA’s website and published in the Stabroek News on January 15, 2023, initiating the 28-day public comment period.

“Eight public consultation meetings were held in Regions One through Six between January 30 and February 7, 2023, to present the planned project activities, respond to questions and concerns from the public, and document relevant topics to be included in the Terms and Scope for the Project (Appendix A) and to be addressed in the EIA,” the document revealed.