Anticipating that it would be down to pilot level flaring by the end of this month as a faulty gas compressor has been repaired and has left Germany for Guyana, ExxonMobil yesterday said that it was frustrated and disappointed that it had to flare almost 13 billion cubic feet (cu ft) of associated gas since startup here.
Acknowledging the environmental need to reduce flaring, the company informed that the teams selected to be sent offshore to install the machines are already in the requisite COVID-19 quarantine. They will soon complete the mandatory two weeks in isolation, in anticipation of their immediate transport to the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) platform.
“Thank you to the people of Guyana for their patience in what we are dealing with. This is not how we expected to operate… and this has been frustrating. We continue to work 24/7 to have an environmentally sound project,” Country Manager of ExxonMobil Alistair Routledge yesterday told a press conference.
“We are on track to the end of the month. During this period we continue to put safety first and monitoring our equipment and we are striking the balance,” Production Manager Mike Ryan would inform during his update on the issue.
On Tuesday, ExxonMobil had updated that testing had begun on the faulty flash gas compressor which had to be resent to the manufacturers- Man Diesel & Turbo Engineering- in Germany last month.
Exxon had revealed in January, that the flash gas compressor on the Liza Destiny FPSO platform had malfunctioned, resulting in the temporary increase in flaring above pilot levels in order to maintain safe operations.
Following the malfunction, the gas compressor and other key parts from the FPSO were sent to Germany for repairs. In its update on Tuesday, the company had explained that the reassembly of the flash gas compressor has been completed and was being prepared for testing. It was noted that over the weekend, the MAN team completed adjustments to achieve the required clearances on the discharge side of the compressor and also, verification of internal machinery profiles.
Yesterday, Ryan added to the updates given over the period the machines were in Germany and said that the tests were successful and the machines were given clearance to return here for installation and further testing.
And since the company had last year ordered a new compressor to be on standby as a spare, according to Ryan, adjustments were made to have the new and upgraded modified one installed later this year for permanent use and this one used as the standby.
ExxonMobil, he said, was optimistic that with the upgrades, it would be operational at only the 1 million cu ft per day or less target pilot flare.
Making reference to statements by former Director of the EPA Dr Vincent Adams, that reducing production by 15,000 barrels per day would limit flaring volumes to pilot levels, Ryan dismissed this claim.
He said that he understands that given the complex nature of the machines and their operations, that the functionality of the machines may be misunderstood, as he stressed, “I wish it was that easy.”
He explained that the complex system requires oil, water, and gas, brought to the surface and then going through separators and a compression train. The gas alone goes to two separate compressors where all are injected or consumed and needs a flash gas compressor if not flared.
“We cannot compress that low pressure stream without the flash gas compressor. It is not correct. In order for us to get back to pilot, we need to get back that flash gas compressor or reduce production to zero,” he further explained.
“It is just not mechanically possible,” he added, while pointing out that for a couple of days last week, the company had reduced production from 120,000 to 105,000 barrels of oil per day and the records will show that there was no change in the flaring volumes. “There was no change in the flare. Our engineers would want to do that, if we could physically or technically,” he asserted.
Last year when the company had itself lowered production to 30,000 barrels per day, Ryan said that they had none of the compression trains on, as compared to now when all are installed. “We must have the flash gas compressor,” he underscored while giving details of the technicalities involved.
“From the original failure we have more information,” he said while assuring that the company will hold true to its commitment of not having routine flaring. “I am not happy with where we are and flaring the amount…”
