ExxonMobil, a leading United States oil company, has announced plans to expand drilling operations at the Ranger-1 discovery within the Stabroek Block, commencing in 2025, according to President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge.
During a recent episode of the Energy Perspectives podcast, he outlined the company’s plans for the year, emphasising that extensive well drilling will be a key focus.
The Ranger discovery, announced in January 2018, marked ExxonMobil’s sixth oil find in the Stabroek Block. The Ranger-1 well, drilled in a previously untapped reservoir, encountered approximately 230 feet (70 meters) of high-quality oil-bearing carbonate rock. The well was safely drilled to a depth of 21,161 feet (6,450 meters) in 8,973 feet (2,735 meters) of water.

ExxonMobil highlighted that this discovery showcased its expertise in ultra-deepwater and carbonate reservoir exploration, introducing a new play concept for the Stabroek Block.
When asked why this well is gaining attention in 2025, Routledge explained that it lies in the central part of the Stabroek Block within a carbonate reservoir. Unlike the sandstone formations of earlier developments, he explained that carbonate reservoirs present greater challenges in development, requiring more detailed analysis and advanced techniques.

“It is more challenging to develop a carbonate discovery than it is to develop a sandstone. Predominantly, all of our developments to date have been in sandstone. So, it’s more challenging, takes a lot more effort to go through the geoscience data from the wells that we have already drilled. We have gathered other data from neighbouring exploratory wells that we have been drilling to see what we can combine in that part of the block as a potential development.”
Initial estimates in 2018 placed Ranger’s oil reserves at 346 million barrels, a figure that increased to between 500 and 600 million barrels by 2022.

Routledge affirmed the company’s commitment to unlocking Ranger’s full potential, highlighting its capacity to significantly enhance Guyana’s oil production. With the prospecting license valid through October 2027, he said the company’s focus is on both exploration and appraisal to ensure it fully capitalises on the opportunities this discovery presents. He emphasised that the Ranger discovery marks a significant milestone in diversifying resource development within the Stabroek Block, where approximately 46 oil discoveries have been made since 2015.
According to Routledge, thirty development wells are planned for drilling during the current year, thus enabling amplified exploration and production operations in the Stabroek Block.

Since the initial discovery in 2015, three major projects—Liza 1, Liza 2, and Payara—are collectively producing over 600,000 barrels of oil per day in the Stabroek Block.
This production is supported by three Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels: Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and Prosperity. The prolific Stabroek Block has solidified Guyana’s position as a major player in the global oil industry and the fastest-growing economy in the world.

Three other development projects in this block—Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail—are set to begin production in 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively.
Each project is estimated to generate 250,000 barrels per day, bringing the total offshore oil output in Guyana to more than 1.3 million barrels per day.