Esso Exploration’s letter contains misleading statements

Dear Editor,

On Saturday August 6th, 2022 the Communications Manager of Esso Exploration wrote a letter that appeared in the major Guyanese newspapers in which she made a number of points with regard to the EPA permits. However, it appears this letter had misleading statements. 

In the letter the Esso Exploration representative states, “Production rates on the Liza facilities are maintained within safe operating limits at all times.”. 

The Liza-1 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), see here https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Volume-I-Liza-Phase-1-EIA.pdf, states on page 28, “a design rate of 100,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD), with potential to safely operate at sustained peaks of up to approximately 120,000 BOPD.”  HESS said, a few months ago, that Liza-1 will be producing more than 140,000 barrels a day see [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4504112-hess-corporation-hes-ceo-john-hess-on-q1-2022-results-earnings-call-transcript,.] This link shows a Guyana government website indicating on June 2nd, 2022 that Liza-1 was pumping about 149,000 barrels of oil a day [https://petroleum.gov.gy/data-visualization?tid=203&tid_1=All]

Given 149,000 is greater than 120,000 then how are safe operating limits maintained at all times on Liza 1 as claimed by the Esso Exploration communication manager?  

Sincerely,

Darshanand Khusial

On behalf of OGGN

(www.oggn.org/about)