GUYANA is solidifying its position in the global oil industry, and ExxonMobil Guyana has announced that the Prosperity floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which is crucial for the Payara project, has successfully achieved background flare before the designated target mentioned in its environmental permit.

In a release on Wednesday, the oil giant said that the vessel “has achieved background flare in 39 days, well within the 60-day target outlined in the project’s environmental permit.”

ExxonMobil Guyana explained that this rapid success not only marks a significant milestone in their commitment to efficient offshore operations, but also showcases their dedication to environmentally responsible practices in the burgeoning Guyanese oil industry.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, expressed his satisfaction with the achievement, stating, “Delivering ahead of expectation underscores the value of the lessons learned from our previous projects, which we applied meticulously to Payara’s start-up. We are committed to delivering results that build on our track record of operational excellence.”

In explaining the environmental impact of this achievement, ExxonMobil Guyana mentioned that, like the Liza projects, the Payara project design eliminates routine flaring.

Flaring refers to the controlled burning of excess natural gas during the oil extraction processes. In the case of the Payara project, produced gas powers the FPSO, and the remaining gas is re-injected into the reservoir to enhance oil recovery, minimizing emissions and environmental impact.

The Payara project begun production on November 14 and is currently producing over 180,000 barrels of oil per day.

The project is well on track to reach its initial production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day during the first quarter of 2024. In combination with the first three Stabroek block projects, total production from ExxonMobil Guyana now exceeds 550,000 barrels per day, with expectations to surpass 600,000 barrels per day later this year.

This achievement not only contributes to Guyana’s growing energy sector but also showcases ExxonMobil’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally-friendly oil production practices.