AS the rate of oil production increases offshore Guyana, the government has progressively built up an oversight system for offshore production. There is an intricate framework involving several government agencies and state-of-the-art technology, setting a high standard to keep offshore operations accountable.

At the core of the strategy is real-time production monitoring of the Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil produces more than 600,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d). ExxonMobil installed a fiber optic cable for real-time production monitoring. The government approved the installation on the condition that it too would have access to the transmitted data. This data, sent from offshore to onshore facilities, updates every 10 minutes, providing the government with real-time insights into production without the need for human intervention. As new oil developments such as Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail come online, this real-time data monitoring will extend to these projects.

The Guyana government is also involved at every step of the crude lifting process, beginning with oversight over the design of ExxonMobil’s meters.

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) calibrates the fiscal meters in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute (API) standard. The GNBS also oversees the offloading of crude from the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. It maintains a presence on each FPSO during offloading to monitor the process, working alongside third-party inspectors who provide oversight on behalf of the crude buyers. This ensures that both parties—the government and crude buyers—have confidence in the accuracy of the volumes being transferred. Additionally, tanker captains are required to verify the volumes and temperatures of the crude.

The government has a dedicated terminal responsible for monitoring crude lifting entitlements. This terminal ensures that the correct procedures are followed whenever a tanker approaches the FPSO for offloading. The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) also plays a role, monitoring vessels entering and leaving Guyana’s waters, which is crucial for tracking oil tankers.

Onshore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has integrated advanced technology into its oversight responsibilities. Through access to MAXAR satellite imagery, the EPA can monitor for any potential oil spills in real-time. This system adds a proactive environmental safeguard.

Regular interaction between ExxonMobil and the government agencies is a key part of the process as well. The government’s various agencies, including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the EPA, hold weekly and monthly meetings with ExxonMobil to review operations. The operator is required to submit daily and monthly production reports, which are further verified through production audits. Data from these is posted online for public perusal. The company also stated that it does not have any objection to the government pursuing an independent monitoring system and will adhere to any regulations the government puts in place.

From real-time data transmission to in-person monitoring during crude offloading, the Guyana government has put in place a comprehensive and rigorous system of checks and balances to ensure that ExxonMobil’s operations comply with national laws and international standards. That means that every drop of the resource is monitored and no value is lost.