As it continues its drive for an environmental permit for its fourth oil well development at Yellowtail, ExxonMobil has scheduled public awareness sessions on the proposed project.
In an advertisement in Stabroek News, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) said that the sessions will provide information on the Yellowtail project, the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental authorisation process and the findings from the assessment.
The first of the sessions will be held on October 25 from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown. Other sessions are scheduled for October 27 at the Anna Regina Town Hall, Anna Regina from 9 am to 11 am; October 29 at Flavio’s Hall, Santa Rosa, Region One from 10 am to midday; November 1 from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Leonora Technical Institute, Leonora, West Coast Demerara; November 2 from 10 am to midday at the Mahaicony Technical Institute, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara; November 2nd from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Primary School, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice; November 3rd from 8 am to 10 am at the #66 Fishport Complex, #66 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and on November 5 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Regional Democratic Council Boardroom, Mabaruma, Region One.
The consultants who prepared the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project have recommended that national authorities consider embedded controls, mitigation measures, management plans and oil spill preparedness as conditions of issuing an environmental authorization for the project, which is expected to pose only minor risks to Guyana’s environmental and socioeconomic resources, while potentially offering significant economic benefits to the citizenry.
They agreed that multiple controls have been embedded into the project design to prevent a spill from occurring, and that a large spill that affects the Guyana coastline and/or other regional coastlines is “unlikely.” However, they said “given the sensitivity of many of the resources that could potentially be impacted by a spill (e.g., Shell Beach Protected Area; marine mammals; critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable marine turtles; and Amerindian, fishing, and other communities reliant on ecosystem services for sustenance and their livelihood), we believe it is critical that EEPGL commit to regular oil spill response drills, simulations, and exercises—and involve appropriate Guyanese authorities and stakeholders in these activities, document the availability of appropriate response equipment on board the (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading platform) , and demonstrate that offsite equipment could be mobilized for a timely response.”
It says the project will consist of the drilling of approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and operation of a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and project decommissioning.
The initial production is expected to begin by end of 2025–early 2026, with operations continuing for at least 20 years. It is noted that the Project is expected to employ up to 540 persons during development well drilling, approximately 600 persons at the peak of the installation stage, and 100 to 140 persons during production operations.
ExxonMobil and the Environmental Protection Agency have come under increasing public scrutiny over the procedures associated with the approval of environment permits for oil wells.
