–Routledge reaffirms; locals make up 70 per cent of ExxonMobil’s workforce

EXXONMOBIL Guyana’s President, Alistair Routledge has reaffirmed the company’s dedication to empower Guyanese citizens to actively participate in and benefit from the country’s burgeoning oil industry.

He was at the time responding to questions from reporters at a press engagement at the company’s Kingston, Georgetown office, on Tuesday, during which he emphasised that ExxonMobil’s commitment extends beyond the substantial revenues generated from oil production.

Routledge highlighted the company’s focus on fostering local employment opportunities, skills development, and creating a supportive environment for Guyanese businesses to thrive in the oil and gas sector.

“We’re committed to working to the benefit of the Guyanese people, not only through the revenues that are coming from the oil that we produce, and those are quite sizable, and they’re going to grow rapidly over the coming years, but also in the investment phase and in the operations phase, how we grow opportunities for Guyanese people to work in the industry to learn and develop and to get higher paid jobs,” Routledge said.

He highlighted the importance of not only providing job opportunities but also enabling individuals to enhance their skills and pursue higher-paying positions within the industry.
According to him, ExxonMobil’s presence in Guyana has not only led to significant job creation but has also spurred the growth of the local economy.
Routledge noted that there are now over 1,700 companies involved in supporting the oil and gas sector in Guyana, signalling a remarkable expansion of business opportunities.
“There is great opportunity for many people to benefit from this phase of development,” he said.

Guyana burgeoning role in the global oil industry is taking shape, with Guyanese constituting a staggering 70 per cent of the workforce supporting ExxonMobil’s operations in the Stabroek Block.
This revelation comes alongside the announcement of ExxonMobil Guyana and its contractors’ cumulative spending with Guyanese suppliers surpassing an impressive US$1.5 billion mark since 2015, which is backed by a leading workforce of 6,200 Guyanese. However, the success story does not end there.

With close collaboration between Guyana’s Government, industry partners, suppliers, and contractors, the development of the Guyana resource has achieved industry-leading milestones in terms of pace, cost-effectiveness, and environmental performance.
President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company, Liam Mallon recently highlighted the company’s commitment to local-content opportunities and reiterated that it is a partner in Guyana’s development.

“Our unrivalled success in developing the Guyana resource at an industry-leading pace, cost and environmental performance is built on close collaboration with the Government of Guyana, as well as our partners, suppliers, and contractors.
“The Stabroek Block developments are among the lowest emissions intensity assets in ExxonMobil’s upstream portfolio and will provide the world with additional reliable energy supplies now and for years to come,” Mallon said.

This collaborative effort is poised to reap significant economic benefits for Guyana. Production from the six Stabroek block developments is projected to generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue and foster substantial economic growth in the region.

The latest milestone in this journey is the granting of a Petroleum Production Licence to ExxonMobil for its sixth development, Whiptail, offshore Guyana.
This monumental $12.7 billion endeavour is expected to produce 250,000 barrels of oil daily, contributing to a total daily production of 1.3 million barrels by the end of 2027.
SBM Offshore, a key player in the industry, has secured the contract for the construction of the Jaguar, the floating production and offloading (FPSO) vessel designated for the Whiptail development.

This vessel will join the ranks of Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and Prosperity FPSOs, collectively producing over half a million barrels of oil daily. Construction is also underway for the Yellowtail and Uaru developments, with production scheduled to commence in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat recently explained that the influx of investments and the pivotal role of Guyanese workers have a transformative impact on the oil industry on Guyana’s economy, especially with a strong emphasis on local participation and collaboration, the future looks promising as Guyana solidifies its position on the global energy map.
“Oil and gas is new to us. There aren’t many oil-and-gas-trained professionals around in our country. Most who are trained and qualified are already employed. So, this means that we as government and private sector have a responsibility to ensure that we build capacity locally,” he asserted.

The Guyanese government is working with the oil and gas stakeholders to build a skilled workforce to keep pace with technological advancements and industry demands.
The Port Mourant National Oil and Gas Training Centre, a state-of-the-art facility, is part of this broader strategy to train technicians with the latest digital technologies for offshore operations.
The training centre, situated near the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Estate in Port Mourant, is part of a broader initiative to equip young Guyanese with the necessary skills for the burgeoning oil and gas sector, as well as the hospitality industry for tourism.

Constructed with an investment of approximately US$100 million, the facility is a collaborative effort between the Guyana government and ExxonMobil.
Guyana’s energy sector is expected to boost national security and prosperity with its oil and gas industry having experienced exponential growth, with production numbers rising from 101.4 million barrels in 2022 to 142.9 million barrels of oil in 2023, contributing to an estimated 40.2 per cent surge in export volume.

Also, Guyana is expected to witness a significant 34.3 per cent increase in its real GDP in 2024, primarily due to the growth in oil production from the Prosperity FPSO.
Further development across all sectors is also expected, as the government plans to improve and expand the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) generation capacity with the gas-to-energy project and other initiatives.

The revenue generated from oil exports has enabled the government to invest in critical sectors such as infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and agriculture.