GUYANA

BREAKING NEWS

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) sitting in Trinidad ruled on a trio of cases related to the motion of no confidence in the National Assembly of Guyana on 21 December 2018.

In the judgment , the CCJ declared that the motion of no confidence in the  government is valid.

Guyana’s Constitution states that the Cabinet, including the President, is required to resign if the Government is defeated by the majority vote of all the elected members of the National Assembly “on a vote of confidence”.

[ In December 2018, the Leader of the Opposition had moved “a motion of no confidence” in the Government. Mr. Charandas Persaud, a member of the Government, had joined the 32 Opposition members in voting for the motion so that 33 members voted in favour of the motion and 32 voted against. ]


Exxon Mobil – Payara

Exxon Mobil subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana

Purple line shows location of the Payara

The operator expects oil production from Payara to last at least 20 years with startup of the facilities in mid-2023.

EEPGL will drill 35 to 45 wells offshore using a floating drill ship. Each well will be directionally drilled to specific reservoir targets 4,000 to 5,500 meters (m) below sea level.   EEPGL will install some production facilities on the sea floor at 1,500-1,980 m (4,900-6,500 ft) water depth. These subsea pipes and hardware gather and move oil from wells to the surface of the ocean for further processing. EEPGL will install other oil production facilities on a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel moored on location in 1,800-1,980 m (5,900-6,500 ft) water depth which will remain on location throughout the life of the field. Oil production facilities on the FPSO will further process the extracted oil.

The FPSO will have the capacity to produce 180,000 to 220,000 barrels of oil per day. During the early stage of production operations, the FPSO will produce up to an average of approximately 5,700,000 to 6,600,000 barrels of crude oil per month. Preliminary estimates are subject to change.

Processed oil will be stored in tanks in the FPSO hull with the capacity to hold at least 1.6 million barrels of oil. Every four – six days the oil will be pumped from the FPSO to a conventional oil tanker owned/operated by others. The tanker will then bring the oil to buyers.
EEPGL will utilise onshore support facilities to drill wells, install the offshore production facilities and operate the offshore production facilities. These include a shore base, storage facilities, fabrication facilities, and waste management facilities. Helicopters and supply boats will support operations.
At peak, EEPGL will utilise approximately 1,200 personnel offshore where wells are being drilled and offshore oil production facilities are being installed. This number will decrease to under 200 personnel during the production operations phase. A smaller number of personnel will be utilised at the onshore support facilities. At the end of the life of the project (at least 20 years), EEPGL will submit a plan to decommission the offshore production facilities for government approval..

KEY DIFFERENCES
There are differences between Payara and the Liza Phases One and Two developments.
At Payara, with 35 to 45 wells, production rate will be approximately 180,000 to 220,000 barrels of oil per day. Liza Phase Two production rate will be 220,000 barrels of oil per day with up to 33 wells while Phase One production rate is 100,000 barrels of oil per day with the ability to operate at sustained peaks of 120,000 barrels per day with 17 wells..

CGX and Frontera

CGX Energy Inc. and Frontera Energy Corporation announced that the Government of Guyana approved the farm-in joint venture agreement covering two shallow water offshore Petroleum Prospecting Licenses in Guyana, the Corentyne and Demerara blocks.

Under the terms of the farm-in joint venture agreement between Frontera and a wholly owned subsidiary of CGX, CGX Resources Inc., Frontera will acquire a 33.333% working interest in the two blocks in exchanged for a US$33.3 million signing bonus, paid by way of offset of $24.6 million of debt payable to Frontera by CGX plus a cash payment of US$8.7 million paid by Frontera to CGX. Frontera has agreed to pay one-third of the applicable costs under the joint ventures plus an additional 8.333% of CGX’s direct drilling costs for the initial exploratory commitment wells in the two blocks. CGX is the operator assigned to the blocks.

Professor Suresh Narine, Executive Chairman and Executive Director (Guyana), CGX, said:”CGX is one of the pioneer explorers in the Guyana basin, celebrating its 20(th) year in 2018; it is widely regarded as Guyana’s indigenous oil company. I would like to thank the Government of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana for the approval of this pivotal joint venture by Frontera into the Corentyne and Demerara blocks. Coupled with the recently concluded successful rights offering financing, this partnership allows CGX to significantly clean up its balance sheet and resume with vigor its exploration of the continental shelf in the Guyana basin. As oil and gas begins to play a pivotal role in the transformation of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, CGX is delighted to be positioned to claim its place in the development of Guyana and this exciting new industry. Frontera has been carefully chosen as a partner with which CGX will continue to undertake this task: because of their financial strength, technical capacity and respect for CGX’s culture and its fundamental role in templating good corporate citizenship and corporate responsibility for E&P companies operating in The Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Gabriel de Alba, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Frontera, added:“As an important next step of our strategic joint venture with CGX, we are grateful to have received this approval from the Government of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana for the development of the Corentyne and Demerara blocks. Together, our companies are well positioned to advance exploration and development of these two attractive blocks in one of the most exciting offshore basins in the world. The approval of this joint venture confirms CGX’s deep roots in the country, which when combined with Frontera’s technical depth and financial strength create great opportunities for the benefit of CGX, Frontera and the people of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana. This joint venture forms an important part of Frontera’s plans to invest in long-term growth opportunities.

Richard Herbert, Chief Executive Officer of Frontera, commented:”We are very excited to be moving forward with our joint venture partner CGX on this important project for both of our companies and for the people of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Given the strong track record of discoveries in the adjacent Starbroek block and our own technical studies of seismic and well data within the two blocks, we are very encouraged about the opportunity on both the Corentyne and Demerara Blocks. We look forward to moving into the drilling phase to test the potential of the two blocks in the coming months.

Corentyne Petroleum Agreement

The Corentyne block contains 1,125,000 net acres offshore The Cooperative Republic of Guyana in shallow water, adjacent to the ExxonMobil Stabroek block, which has encountered 13 discoveries since May 2015. The Utakwaaka well must be drilled by November 27, 2019 with an additional exploration well to be drilled by November 27, 2022.

Demerara Petroleum Agreement.

The Demerara block contains 750,000 net acres offshore The Cooperative Republic of Guyana in shallow water, adjacent to the ExxonMobil Stabroek block which has encountered 13 discoveries since May 2015. An exploration well is required to be drilled on the block by February 12, 2021 with a further exploration well by February 12, 2023.

CGX Energy is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin.

Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company and a leading explorer and producer of crude oil and natural gas, with operations focused in South America. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in more than 30 exploration and production blocks. The Company’s strategy is focused on sustainable growth in production and reserves. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Frontera’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “FEC”.

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Photo - see caption

Location of Corentyne and Demerara block (Source: Frontera)

OIL CITY Offshore Technology Conference May 6 – 9

OTC 2019, well-represented by private and public agencies, was hosted under the theme “OTC’s Golden Anniversary Opening Session: The Next 50 Years of Offshore Developments”.
Industry executives took the opportunity to explore how companies are preparing for digitalisation, automation, machine learning, and discovering their vision for the future of offshore exploration & production (E&P) operations. In the global centre for the oil and gas industry, presenters included former Trinidad Minister of Energy, Kevin Ramnarine; former Presidential Adviser, Jan Mangal; the US Embassy Georgetown, Wood Mackenzie and Attorney-at-Law, Charles Ramson Jr.

Partners in Houston to develop oil wealth
The rural, rainforest republic made its first major foray into Houston with a delegation to OTC 2019, hosting a forum for partners to develop offshore oilfields, in collaboration with the Bank of America, TOTALTEC and other oil companies.

Deepwater potential:    Exxon Mobil and its New York partner Hess Corp. with 13 major oil discoveries offshore in the last four years, invested billions of dollars into new projects with initial oil production coming online in early 2020. Exxon invests more in Guyana than anywhere else in the world outside of West Texas. Developments lie in the Stabroek Block, a potentially prolific oil field spanning 6.6 million acres.

Stabroek was the name of Georgetown until 1812, when Britain changed the name on taking control from the Dutch, the first colonizers of Guyana which gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, becoming a republic in 1970.   The population of over 700,000, versus 7 million in metro Houston, had little petroleum business and politicians and business chiefs suddenly had to learn about the oil industry. At the inaugural Guyana Petroleum Summit, the Guyana Office for Investment, the state economic development arm, said, “It’s a very, very fast learning curve from not knowing … about oil and gas to having to do it…dropping someone in the ocean who doesn’t know how to swim. ”

Emphasising partnerships, the government is ensuring that Guyana captures the financial windfall to support long-term economic growth and avoid having little to show for it if big oil companies reap profits and leave. Touting the new oil and gas frontier, officials see opportunities for Houston energy services companies, from drillers to parts manufacturers, to do business in Guyana, partner with local companies and hire local staff. The president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Georgetown said everyone has an opportunity to make money. “The energy is really positive. We’re going to see a lot more business between .. Houston and our country.”

Mountains, rainforest and savannah cover the land of water with almost half of the multinational populace in greater Georgetown. Deepwater oil potential is attracting all the attention in a small, poor country with stark divides between wealth and poverty. GDP per capita of $8,000 in 2017, compares to $60,000 in the United States. The Guyana Summit featured energy services companies – Houston-based Tidewater, operating a fleet of offshore services vessels and Schlumberger, the world’s largest services firm, with a principal office in Houston.

Exxon Mobil is authorizing the $6 billion second phase of its massive Guyana development. With the Liza Phase 2 project approved — the first phase is coming online in early 2020 — Exxon Mobil now expects to produce over 750,000 barrels of oil a day offshore by 2025, equal to nearly 20 percent of Exxon’s global oil and gas production today.     “With the government of Guyana and our partners, Exxon Mobil is bringing industry-leading upstream capabilities to build upon Phase 1 and further develop the shared value of Guyana’s resources”      said Liam Mallon, president of Exxon upstream oil and gas. Exxon Mobil aims to keep its good will intact but must navigate political challenges, as in many developing countries. A vote of no confidence in the ailing president and prime minister by parliament, the National Assembly. is playing out in courts. Government officials and business leaders are optimistic that internal political complications will not hamper growth and expect visits to Houston to help.

Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber

With a public-private sector contingent representing Guyana at OTC, the President of the GOGEC said addition of oil to the economy is the rising tide to lift all economic sectors. All must be cognizant of the crude realities of the resource curse and focus as a collective on the management of the windfall that will accrue.

Success of the oil and gas industry will be determined by a well-managed Natural Resource Fund, an impartial Petroleum Commission and a robust Local Content policy to benefit all Guyanese. The Energy Chamber has publicly stressed the importance of building a strong framework for the oil sector. With these three crucial factors along with stakeholder participation, Guyana will attain unprecedented and sustained socioeconomic development.

Guyana is on a commendable growth trajectory, one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean growing positively with a growth rate of 4.1 percent during 2018 iin comparison to the regional average of 1.1 percent.

Much of this growth was in construction and the services sector – real estate , wholesale and retail trade and financial and insurance services . Traditional sectors and manufacturing recorded positive growth.

Economic health will improve drastically in the short and medium terms as oil production commences in a matter of months. Factors intrinsic to the economy will evolve, changing the structural dynamics through immigration and entrants to Guyana’s market, training and development in oil and gas.
Authorities are seeing significant flows of foreign direct investments, improving external accounts whilst stimulating the economy. Conservative projections of economic growth place Guyana amongst the wealthiest nations per capita with double digit growth as high as 28 percent within five years.
The local private sector is cognizant of these facts. Businesses are forming, expanding, learning and building capabilities for the unimaginable amount of prosperity that will flow. Let alone investments, specifically geared for oil and gas servicing, businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, are positioning to take advantage of the demands of potential and committed investors, employees and other experts.

The Chamber realises the need for critical investments in the social and physical infrastructure. With expected improvement in transport , investments in cheaper and reliable energy especially for manufacturing and value adding, in human capital and modernization of the regulatory and legal systems to boost efficiency, the Chamber foresees an investment haven, an ideal destination to do business. The essence of a preferred investment destination lies in clarity and predictability of policies. Through this inclusionary democracy, stakeholders will be able to assist government to calibrate policies, programmes and projects in the best interest of all.

Chatham House

Dr Valerie Marcel

Chatham House fellow Dr Valerie Marcel told the summit that Green energy transformation can be realised by refusing to buckle to pressure for downstream investments in oil in Guyana which should focus on diversification and avoid oil refining .

“There will inevitably be temptations to pursue a different course. .. pressure to bring the oil to shore and to transform it in Guyana… clamouring for a refinery. And probably for cheap oil and gas feedstocks to support Guyana’s industry, and subsidised gasoline and power for consumers. … political pressure to benefit from the physical oil. We are in an energy transition and we know oil is not forever. We don’t know when oil demand will peak but industry views are broadly aligned around the idea that it will peak. What does this mean for Guyana? Essentially it means that it must reap benefits while it can, limit its dependence on the oil sector, invest in diversification, create long-term wealth and save for the future.”

Oil is a means of transforming the economy and fast-tracking development. Long-term partnerships with the contractor are of great value, facilitated by government through a well-regulated industry. Noting the priority of managing the sector responsibly, the President placed it under the supervision of a new Department of Energy within his Ministry.

Government is committed to a green economy and to strengthening agricultural, agro-processing, mining and forestry industries and developing tourism and services sectors. Guyana cannot afford to be completely dependent on oil or any other non-renewable resource. Government recognises the importance of replacing depleting natural resources with sustainable human capital and a globally competitive economy.

Marcel, a researcher at the not-for-profit London-based think tank, is the project lead for the New Petroleum Producers Discussion Group – a peer-to-peer network of 31 emerging oil and gas producers – who share lessons learned on how to navigate the first steps of developing oil and gas. The group does not have a policy view, nor does it advise governments to pursue specific policies. Rather it lays out policy options and, with the help of other emerging producers sharing their experience, it explains the risks and rewards associated with each policy option. The consultant has been involved in the group since its founding in 2012 and told delegates that it is from that vantage point that she was able to witness the progression of Guyana; from exploration days, “when it was a frontier country, to discovery, to more discoveries, to development and soon to production.”

The group has seen the government establish its capacity, institutions, policies and regulations. As time nears to first oil next year, Guyana can learn from emerging producers. Ghana has nine years production history. Unlike Norway, which took the rein of old sectors decades ago, Ghana remembers the first steps in developing capacity and institutions to manage the oil sector. That memory is fresh and that experience is valuable to Guyana.

The period after discoveries is very intense. The group of about five in government with petroleum sector experience are suddenly under immense pressure, as is the government more broadly. Pressure and attention come from multiple sources. Donor agencies compete to have their institutional and policy framework adopted by government; private sector service providers and consultants line up for opportunities; local job seekers; the public ask how the discovery will transform their lives; political opponents challenge decisions .

Throughout this period of overwhelming attention, the small team is building capacity, policy and institutions to oversee the new oil sector. This attention, political pressure and time pressure. do not create space for debates around big policy decisions but this is precisely when a country wants to think about where it is heading, the kind of producer it wants to be, what it will do with the oil and gas and with the revenues.

The position on the question of a national oil company (NOC) among possible outcomes to plan for will be quite interesting. It is important to consider that, to create an NOC with an operator role .. responsible for the development of oil fields, building the required capacity takes 15 years on average and involves substantial investments. In light of the transition, government should ask how many years it will have to reap the rewards of that investment before oil demand declines and the NOC struggles.

Another option is to create a National Energy Company that invests in renewables for domestic energy. This company could hold minority State participation interests in the upstream, market the State’s share of oil and create joint ventures with the private sector to establish service companies for the oil sector.

Guyana is fortunate in that the government had fixed the national vision just when the first discovery was made. It had set the course on a green growth. This plan envisaged renewables meeting 100 per cent of domestic energy needs. Following discoveries, government anticipated that associated gas would be brought to shore and become a transition fuel for Guyana. A critical decision was to avoid having oil brought to shore for transformation – refining – and to use the export revenues strategically to support the diversification of the economy, renewables development and for saving for the future – in the sovereign wealth fund.

Investing revenues strategically is not as easy as it seems. Underscoring the potential transformation oil revenue could bring, Guyana must set the revenues expected from oil in context. It will truly be transformative, with one barrel per person per day. In Ghana resource flows are three barrels per person per year. The economy’s capacity to absorb such revenues will be limited.

Investing strategically in specific sectors may be difficult to realise because governments have not been broadly successful in choosing sectors to support financially. Another avenue for creating long-term wealth is to invest in public services, raising prosperity levels through public investment in infrastructure, education and health. Public investment will need to be incremental, growing in line with the state administrative capacity to manage spending.

Marcel’s overview of the sector and advice for Guyana was made at the same forum where the former Minister of Business said that the government will avoid mistakes of some producers and is implementing policies to eschew dependence on fossil fuels.

Government

Aware of the perils of other oil producers, equipped with hindsight and experiences of those countries, the government is planning and implementing polices. Around the world, there is no shortage of examples of how bad things can get. Many countries failed to translate enormous oil wealth into improved living conditions for their people. While Guyana enters the development and production stages of its petroleum industry with great hope, there is understanding that things can go very wrong.

Government is committed to social, economic, political and institutional development through good governance and the sustainable and responsible management of vast natural resources. Guyana is still a developing country and progress needs to be assessed in the context of the current trajectory towards those goals, rather than individual points along the way, which do not represent the intended target. Oil can become the catalyst to arrive ahead of schedule. Government plans are achievable. Decisions made in the lead up to production and in the early days of production will set the tone for how the sector and the economy evolve as an oil producer.

While critical needs must be addressed in the short-term, the real benefits will be in the medium to long-term. This is why partnerships with reputable international companies are valued. Hence the external search for private investment, expertise, technology and training , in sectors that are new and even in traditional sectors lacking financial and human resources. The theme of the discussion was Guyana, a new frontier – something for everyone, investors, operators and service companies.

The search transcends the petroleum sector and potential investors must embrace Guyana’s vision. Government knows that is where the big money is and in Houston, the hub of the industry it should be talking oil and areas related to oil exploration and production. but it is important to emphasise Guyana’s long-term priorities. Long-term partners, or potential long-term partners, need to understand each other’s goals and priorities to build strong partnerships that will ensure the win-win outcomes that are possible but not always achieved.

Adventure attracts heightened international attention

Participation in the OTC attracted the particular attention of representatives of the international petroleum sector against the background of confirmation the US major ExxonMobil is to commence the realisation of ‘first oil’ for Guyana. A 600 square ft. booth was a visible presence for facilitation of over 50 business-to- business meetings with foreign companies during the event. The delegation enhanced external understanding of Guyana, providing insights into investment.

Guyana has seen a significant amount of interest from the industry. The positive response will enable businesses to network with partners to increase their abilities and their resourcing to compete for jobs in the sector. Participation in this major event confirms that Guyana is rapidly emerging as a petroleum producer while lacking experience and foreign investors are keen to assist and lend their expertise in its development.
Each one had 4 to 5 business-to-business meetings with companies they would have met here and that bodes well for the economy.

Local businesses took the opportunity to network and build partnerships with key stakeholders in a massive industry and see possibilities in their services. Guyana is leading the world in oil discoveries as of 2018. Companies are expressing interest and asking how they can get in.

President and CEO of TotalTec, Lars Mangal, said the event is a chance for local and international companies to navigate opportunities of the world’s most exciting new offshore deep-water oil province. As one of the major new oil regions discovered this century, Guyana will be transformed in the coming years, emerging as a leading global oil producer.

Guyana and international industry leaders and investors provided highly informative days of successes, challenges and a view of the future for the deep-water province of the decade. The Summit served as a platform to navigate this new province, bringing together ministry officials, international, national and independent oil and gas operators, regulators, investors, contractors and service companies.

The discoveries and rapid pace to production require the Government of Guyana to work hand-in-hand with the world’s largest and most sophisticated multi-national corporations on an accelerated timeline to establish a regulatory framework and build infrastructure to support this new industry. Operators, service companies and contractors are ramping-up operations, recruiting and training Guyanese and preparing facilities to support the new business.

The oil industry has a proven history of overcoming immense challenges. “The key is that all participants work together, collaborate and get things right from the start. The summit will help draw the road map for how Guyana can best harness the economic benefits as it establishes its own oil and gas industry, recognising that industry giants have their own stakeholders with their expectations.”

The President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that traffic flow showed the first day was successful. “.. people .. networking, learning, visiting our booths and finding out ..about Guyana: this new frontier for the oil industry.” The energy experienced at the Guyana booth was “extremely positive” and will result in a number of partnerships. “Clearly there’s a lot of interest in our market and what we were able to do, as a delegation of government and private sector answers questions about entering the Guyana market .. the tipping point for firms who were on the fence.” The mission focused on a booth display with an area for business-to-business (B2B) meetings and a Guyana Night for Information Sharing and Business Networking on May 8, 2019.

People who built the topside for the first FPSO, are extremely enthusiastic, like others  making plans  to visit Guyana  for investment.

Businesses from Guyana had exposure for knowledge awareness and for a better understanding of the industry, the value chain and the major players. As as they gain experience they have the opportunity to network with the industry seeking partnership and understanding how to do business, as a means to open doors of opportunity. At B2B meetings the scale of companies interacting with Guyanese businesses was impressive. Local businesses were pleased with the returns on their investment in being a part of the conference.

More businesses in Guyana are becoming interested in petroleum as it becomes the dominant sector. Local companies wishing to participate in the sector… “are up to the challenge in learning the various parts of the supply chain and seeing which pieces of it we can bring onshore.”

The OTC mission include Roraima Airways; A&S Enterprises Ltd.; Dapper Technology; Guyana Oil and Gas Support Services; Guyana Oil and Gas Support Chambers; Environmental Management Consultancy; Sterling Products Ltd.; Guyana National Industrial Company; Fohrsight Global Consultants Inc.; Hughes, Field and Stoby; Ramson & Conway & Associates; Guyana National Shipping Corporation; Laparkan Trading; JAPARTS; Rid-O-Pes/Sandip Disposal; Omni Helicopters International; Guyana Logistics and Support Services Inc.; Massiah Capital; IEM Sales & Services Ltd.; New GPC; Action Invest; Ramps Logistics; Tagman Media; Western Logistics; GTT; Merchant Marine Services Guyana Inc. and CTES.

Department of Energy

Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project

Liza Phase 1 is forecast to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day at peak rates, a portion of which will accrue to Guyana.

Government seeks consulting services to provide guidance on selling Guyana’s share of crude oil, expected early next year with oil major ExxonMobil’s Liza Phase 1 project on track to achieve first oil by the first quarter of 2020.

Petroleum Advisor to Govt., Matthew Wilks

Advisor to the DoE, Matthew Wilks spoke of the crude oil lifting and marketing plan, for selling its share of oil “independently to get the highest price on the international market.” He disclosed that the agency advertised for a crude oil market advisor to provide analysis of the best mechanisms for government.The objective of the assignment is for the consultant to provide advisory services and technical support towards the establishment of a crude oil marketing function to cover “all aspects of crude marketing and logistics of crude oil produced in Guyana, together with preparation of competitive tenders for such marketing.”

  • According to the terms of reference, duties include provision of views on world crude markets (volumes forecast and price estimates by regions) and the US Gulf Coast and Asian markets;
  • advising the best crude marketing strategy for government’s share of lifted crude oil resulting from its production sharing contract(s), based upon the criterion on maximising government revenues;
  • highlighting the pros and cons of:
    • single seller or agent versus multiple sellers;
    • single market or a variety of markets;
    • a fee per barrel of oil marketing arrangement based on spot sales versus longer term sales to a specific buyer;
    • FOB crude oil sales versus CIF sales or a mixed FOB/CIF sales portfolio including shipping;
    • long-term versus medium-term versus short-term sales or a mix thereof;
  • advice on the possible pricing formulas potentially achievable for each category of possible sales (destination, duration);
  • spot references for European sales; Latin America, Africa and Asia sales;
  • long term price formulas;
  • advice on the optimal marketing strategy to create a benchmark crude premium for Guyana crude and develop a risk management strategy to include pricing objectives;
  • approved contractual and financial instruments;
  • risk exposure limits;
  • counterparty credit limits; and hedging policy;
  • advice on comparative economics of domestic use of crude oil compared to international markets and how to maximise government revenue from crude oil sales;
  • defining organisational requirements for the crude oil marketing function including business processes;
  • staffing and skills requirements;
  • internal procedures and approval processes;
  • budget resources; data requirements;
  • monitoring and reporting requirements;
  • provide a pragmatic timeline to achieve an operational crude oil marketing function;
  • propose interim methodologies for procuring a transparent marketing arrangement that maximises the government revenues from crude oil sales such as fee per barrel of oil marketing arrangements;
  • training of DoE and other petroleum related agency staff via group workshops, individual mentoring and supervised on-the-job training. Topics to be covered include commercial terms governing international crude oil marketing, oil pricing, oil quality and basis differentials and cargo operations including lifting and scheduling.

The consultant will base activities on the crude oil volumes available for export as provided by the operator(s) and its updates from time to time. These are estimated to take place over a period of four years commencing this year. The contract will initially be issued for one year with a possibility of renewal for the duration of the project period based on performance.

Core deliverables for this assignment are the provision of advice and assistance to the DoE as required in executing the scope of work. The consultant will work under the direction of the Director of the DoE or other designated official within the department; and will work closely with other government agencies involved in the oil and gas sector as required.

The consultant will work over 90 days per year (in the first year) of which at least 60 days will be spent in Guyana. The consultant will make an inception visit of at least three weeks to formulate work programmes, perform initial training and support urgent commercial decisions facing the DoE. Subsequent visits will be for at least two weeks in duration. When not physically present in Guyana, the consultant will remain in close contact with the DoE team to supervise and support the crude oil marketing activities.

Eligible applicants should have at least 20 years’ relevant experience in the commercial functions of an international oil company,with at least five years’ experience in crude oil trading and marketing and have been involved in crude marketing studies. Experience in crude oil marketing negotiations for at least three different clients in relation to major sales of crude oil would be an asset.

The applicant must have experience (from within five years preceding the date of the application) of advising sovereign governments on crude oil marketing; experience of the associated shipping logistics of crude oil marketing; and experience of advising governments on outsourcing crude oil marketing and associated logistics on a fee per barrel of oil basis.

The consultancy falls under the World Bank-funded Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project which aims to enhance the government’s capacity to achieve its management goals for the petroleum sector through interventions focused on supporting the enhancement of legal and institutional frameworks and the strengthening of the capacity of key institutions to manage the oil and gas sector in Guyana.

Separate agreement for measuring oil

Petroleum Advisor Matthew Wilks said a separate agreement will ensure accountable measuring of crude, omitted in all Guyana contracts. This will be addressed in the model Production Sharing Agreement. A Crude Lifting Agreement will ensure precise metering of the oil.

“…That agreement contains all the metering checks and that document is in an advanced stage of preparation and almost complete. What we are going through now is a process of getting various agencies within Guyana ready for crude lifting because one of the things going out to tender.. is for a Crude Lifting Advisor…to assist us in arranging a marketing arrangement for the government’s share (of its oil). But in terms of the accuracy of metering, how you meter, who checks…that is all contained in the Crude Lifting Agreement. And that will be signed by all parties.. We are.. happy to make it public.”

The Production Sharing Agreement Guyana has with ExxonMobil subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), CNOOC and Hess, has no provision in place for the producer to verify the operator’s oil production. Other nations like Trinidad and Tobago, have rigid rules, agreements and regulations in place on this matter.

With respect to its PSAs with oil firms, Trinidad has an entire section on Measurement.
Provisions 19.1 and 19.2 under that Section say, “All Petroleum produced, saved and not used in Petroleum Operations shall be measured at the Measurement Points approved in the Development Plan. The Measurement Point shall be at the end of the facilities for which the cost is included as a recoverable cost of Petroleum Operations under the Contract.”
At provision 19.3 it adds, “The Production shall be measured in accordance with the sound and current practices and standards generally accepted in the international Petroleum industry. All measurement equipment shall be installed, maintained and operated by Contractor.
“The Minister shall have the right to inspect the measuring equipment installed by Contractor and all charts and other measurement or test data at all reasonable times. The accuracy of Contractor’s measuring equipment shall be verified by tests at regular intervals and upon the request of the Minister, using sound and current means and methods generally accepted in the international Petroleum industry.

Upon discovery of a meter malfunction, Trinidad PSAs make it clear that the contractor shall immediately have the meter repaired, adjusted and corrected and following such repairs, adjustment or correction shall have it tested or calibrated to establish its accuracy. Upon the discovery of a metering error, t the contractor must have the meter tested immediately and take the necessary steps to correct any error that may be discovered.

In the event a measuring error is discovered, PSAs state that the Contractor shall use its best efforts to determine the correct Production figures for the period during which there was a measuring error and that the corrected figures shall be used. In determining the correction, the the Contractor shall use, where required, the information from other measurements made inside or outside the Production Area.
The oil contractor signed to a PSA is also required to submit for the Minister’s approval, a report detailing the source and nature of the measuring error and the corrections to be applied.
If it proves impossible to determine when the measuring error first occurred, PSAs noted that the commencement of the error shall be deemed to be that point in time halfway between the date of the last previous test and the date on which the existence of the measuring error was first discovered.

IMPORTANCE OF METER ACCURACY
Canada-based organization, Publish What You Pay (PWYP), sought to enlighten producers on the importance of having provisions in place for monitoring metered oil.
It published a detailed report documenting how many countries suffered for failing to have an independent team monitoring the oil being metered and assessed by oil companies.

It quotes the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate as saying that “even small deviations in the volume of production can have a significant impact on government revenues.”
An error of just 0.35 percent at one of their metering stations would amount to a loss of four million NOK (US$660,000).

Ensuring fair taxation depends not only on tracking the volumes of the resource produced, but also that they are applied against each relevant fiscal instrument.
The anti-corruption body stressed that the solution to protecting government revenues from under-reporting of production by oil companies is effective monitoring of both the quantity and quality of the natural resources extracted and exported. Failure to address this has resulted in oil producing nations losing billions of dollars in profits.

Schlumberger hires 12 for operations

operator training (TOTALTEC )

WORLD-renowned oilfield services giant Schlumberger hired 12 Guyanese from the fifth graduating class of the TOTALTEC International Petroleum & Maritime Academy (IPMA).
TOTALTEC said six will begin their careers with additional training in Trinidad, while the other six will begin in Guyana. Schlumberger is the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterisation, drilling, production and processing in the oil and gas industry and a major service provider to ExxonMobil Guyana. The new graduates can expect a wide range of opportunities over the course of their careers.

Six graduates will travel to Trinidad where Schlumberger has ongoing operations for specialised training in wireline logging, a technique where sophisticated tools are lowered into wells on an electrical cable to provide continuous measurements to evaluate the subsurface, its geology and fluids. The others will begin in Guyana operations, where Schlumberger is providing a range of offshore services with onshore support.

Growth in its Guyanese workforce demonstrates the deep commitment of Schlumberger to developing local people. Guyana Manager for Schlumberger, Peter Cahill said, “I have been impressed with the breadth and quality of the training. In particular, their dedication and commitment to safety is to be commended. This is critical to a long and successful career in the oil industry.

TOTALTEC Academy Manager, Joseph Singh, commented, “We are very proud of our graduates. Throughout the eight-week programme we challenged them to think critically, and understand the principles of tools and techniques they are being trained in. We are pleased to have them join Schlumberger and are confident they will succeed.” Since its opening in 2018, TOTALTEC Academy has trained over 125 Guyanese for positions in the industry. Training combines classroom and practical sessions, with an emphasis on safety and a culture of looking out for each other.

Schlumberger Guyana hosted a career fair and is seeking skilled persons to fill positions immediately for Field Specialists, Field Engineers, Lab Technicians and HR staff. Its Business Talent Acquisition Manager noted that while a greater percentage of employees at the local office are Guyanese, they are increasing the content with skilled persons who can positively contribute to the organisation. “We like to hire fresh out talent and train and develop them from within so we’re looking to identify that talent here today.” Schlumberger Guyana is expected “to increase tenfold at the very least so we’re looking to identify Guyanese talent that we can bring within our organisation.” Similar job fairs will be conducted across the country.

El Dorado, Ramps, ExxonMobil trainees

El Dorado Offshore and Ramps Logistics partnered with ExxonMobil to recruit 12 rig clerk trainees for the petroleum industry, the third batch of individuals to benefit from such training. The 12 candidates including 6 women will undergo 10 weeks of training at four different locations in theoretical and practical assessments. From Guyana, they will move to Trinidad and Tobago and then onto a drill ships, to forge skills in all areas.

Natasha Jairam-Abai, Recruitment Director, said “We’re committed to local content development for Guyana…this programme has been rolled out with Exxon’s support. Over the .. next 10 weeks, these candidates will go from different locations, the Guyana office, GYSBI (Guyana Shore Base Incorporated), our Trinidad office and the Noble Bob Douglas drillship.”

El Dorado Offshore sent its first recruits in 2017 to solve human resources demands of the oil industry. It deployed persons to serve in Guyana, on supply vessels and countries as far as Singapore.

Oil companies exempt from tax

The National Assembly approved tax exemptions for oil companies operating on the Kanuku and Kaieteur blocks in two orders, replicas of the recent order passed in relation to the Orinduik Block.

Kanuku block is held by Repsol Exploracion Guyana S.A. (formerly known as Repsol Exploracion S.A.), the operator with 37.5 per cent interest. Tullow Guyana B.V. has a 37.5 per cent stake and Total E&P Guyana BV holds 25 per cent. The partners are planning drilling of the Carapa-1 exploration well scheduled for the third quarter of 2019.

The Carapa prospect is a 200 million barrel Cretaceous target located in 70 metres of water and will be drilled using a jack-up rig.

Kaieteur Block Operators are Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Cataleya Energy Limited (formerly Ratio Energy Limited), Ratio Guyana Limited and Hess Guyana (Block B) Exploration Limited.

The orders specify that written laws mentioned in Section 51(2) of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act or any part thereof shall not apply to or in relation to the Licensees of each block as specified in the Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) signed between them and the Guyana Government.

Section 51(2) lists the Income Tax Act, the Income Tax (In Aid of Industry) Act, the Corporation Tax Act and the Property Tax Act as legislation which, by order of the Minister (subject to an affirmative vote of the National Assembly), shall not apply to a licensee in possession of a PSA with government.

The PSAs specify that the company shall pay no tax, no value-added tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost on income derived from petroleum operations or in respect of any property held, transactions undertaken or activities performed for any purpose authorised under the PSA.

Exceptions include import duties on some items listed in the PSA, Local Government rates and taxes and licence fees paid to government.

The Government and Tullow Guyana B.V. and Eco (Atlantic) Guyana Inc signed the PSA on 14th January 2016 to explore the Orinduik Block, located next to ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block, where over 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent have been discovered.

Tullow is the operator of the Orinduik Block and has a 60 per cent stake. Total has a 25 per cent stake and Eco (Atlantic) has 15 per cent.

Tullow began oil exploration in Guyana in 2008, when the company obtained equity and subsequently participated in the drilling of the Jaguar-1 well in 2012 which failed to reach its target depth as safety was a concern. In 2017, they safely acquired 3D surveys. Good quality data enabled drilling activities to be planned in 2019.

Tullow plans to drill two wildcat wells on its Orinduik licence from June 2019 onwards using the Stena Fort drillship. The first well will target the Jethro prospect which is a Lower Tertiary target in approximately 1,350 metres of water. The second well will be the Joe prospect, an Upper Tertiary target in water depths of approximately 650 metres. Both wells are targeting prospects of 100 to 200 million barrels of oil.

Optimistic about commercial discovery of oil, based on its seismic and other studies, Tullow promised to focus on local content. Eco’s co-founder and Chief Operations Officer, Colin Kinley, said last year,

“We are very pleased with the current interpretation work that has been completed at Tullow, Gustavson and within Eco and have a great deal of confidence in our joint efforts to date. The additional discoveries on Exxon’s Stabroek Block, including the most recent Hammerhead-1 that is on our 3D survey, enables us to see the formations ramp up onto Orinduik. These have greatly helped us to further understand the play. Ten key leads have been identified on Orinduik to date. The partners will carefully consider in the coming months the prioritisation of the leads for drilling as we continue work on the drilling engineering and the environmental permitting. We have identified the potential for close to 2.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 2.45 trillion cubic feet of associated gas. These are very meaningful numbers for all the partners and most importantly the people of Guyana. Three of the targets we have identified have estimated Probability of Success calculated at 22.4 per cent at this stage. This risking is extremely good for any company on a single lead, let alone three. As noted in the previous announcement, we continue to de-risk the play and are approaching this with a conservative and focused approach. As our partner Tullow announced last week, we are planning to drill our first well early Q3 2019 and we are in the process of permitting and engineering in parallel with continuing geophysical and geological assessments.”

Under the agreement the government signed with Tullow and Eco (Atlantic), Guyana will receive a 1 per cent royalty while profits will be shared on a sliding scale.

Article 11 of the 69-page agreement, which addresses cost recovery and production sharing, says that the government will receive 50 per cent of profits earned from the first 25,000 barrels of oil per day, 52.5 per cent from the next 25,000 barrels, 55 per cent from the next 15,000 barrels, 57.5 per cent from the next 15,000 barrels and 60 per cent for production above 80,000 barrels.

Fugro to map coastal rivers

The vessel that was procured by the company.

Global offshore and onshore geotechnical and surveying company, Fugro, which opened an office in Guyana, procured a hydrographic vessel worth over US$135,000 for its operations here.

Marine Operations Manager of the Dutch surveyor, Doug Chapman at the company’s Liliendaal office celebrating arrival of the vessel, said that it will be used to survey the rivers to assess the depth of the water since one of the issues with bringing their vessels is the sand bar and shallow waters off the coast.

 

US to ensure all Guyanese benefit from oil resources-Pompeo

On behalf of the US government, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Guyana on its 53rd independence anniversary.

“The United States and Guyana have been friends and partners for decades, and we commend and encourage Guyana’s continued leadership on matters of regional concern. As Guyana looks toward production of its oil resources, the United States stands ready to assist to ensure all Guyanese will benefit. On behalf of the citizens of the United States, I wish the citizens of Guyana a prosperous year and a happy Independence Day celebration.”

Pompeo said that the United States looks forward to a future of strong ties and collaboration based on shared democratic values and joins in celebrating Guyana’s diversity, freedom, and natural beauty.

The American Chamber of Commerce-Guyana continues to create trade partnerships and opportunities, resulting in greater prosperity for both countries.

UK sonar equipment for undersea survey

British High Commissioner Greg Quinn presents the Sonar Equipment to MARAD’s Director General, with  Chief Executive  of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and Lead Trainer, Ian Davies (right).

British High Commissioner Greg Quinn presents the Sonar Equipment to MARAD’s Director General, with  Chief Executive  of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and Lead Trainer, Ian Davies (right).
Sonar equipment worth 68 million dollars was presented to the Government by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. Within the next three weeks, Guyana will be able to undertake undersea surveying and mapping activities.

The plant, which includes a multi-beam echo sounder, tide gauge, sound velocity profiler and accompanying equipment, was donated through the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) programme. It will be installed on the MT Aruka.

At the ceremony hosted at the Transport and Habours Department Boat House, Greg Quinn, British High Commissioner, said the new plant will enable fishermen and mariners to better understand the ocean floor, much of which is unknown and unmapped.

Ian Davies  explains  the hydrographic programme

In 2017the UK Hydrographic Office, surveyed the Demerara River and the mouth of the Essequibo River and produced new nautical charts.

The Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme, in partnership with the government of .. Guyana, has started to make small strides in unlocking the unknown down under the deep, blue seas—or should that be deep, brown sea in Guyana’s case… work will have to be undertaken to map the constant changes which happen in a dynamic environment such as the ocean. This will ensure safe and efficient nautical navigation and support related marine activities, including economic development, security and defence, scientific research and environmental protection,” Quinn said.

The CME programme is working with Guyana to produce a Maritime Economy Plan, which will ensure Guyana is able to sustainably develop and manage its maritime economy and increase economic growth. The plan is expected to be completed by 2020.

The Maritime Administration Department MARAD, expressed gratitude to the British Government. They will be in a position to compile modern navigational charts of priority areas and will improve access for commercial shipping. Information gathered will encourage cruise tourism, which will generate wider economic activities.

Eight persons from MARAD and the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission are being trained to use the hydrographic device. Training is being facilitated by Ian Davies of the UK Hydrographic department.

The trainees will be exposed to data gathering techniques and taught to analyze map reading, use the equipment and conduct data analysis.

Davies said that the UK Hydrographic Office here “aims to support the sustainable economic growth of Guyana by enabling the collection of accurate hydrographic and scientific data, as well as training to manage and develop the emerging marine economy.”

The Hydrographic Office will continue to offer advice and guidance to the survey team and the National Hydrographic Committee on the planning and conduct of surveys to ensure that data collected meets international standards.

They will continue to offer tips on safety of navigation through updated charting and provide information across government to support the development and management of coastal waters, from fisheries to disaster management and climate change mitigation measures.

The High Commissioner applauded Guyana on becoming the 90th member of the International Hydrographic Organisation, noting that the equipment will allow the country to meet its obligations of membership.

IHO

The International Hydrographic Organization aims to ensure that seas, oceans and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted. On April 18, 2019, Guyana became the 90th country to be accepted by the IHO.
The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission as set out in the GLSC Act of 1999, has charge of, and acts as a guardian of all public lands, creeks and rivers of Guyana, inclusive of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) .
Recognizing the need for accurate maritime date, the GLSC and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), both stand to benefit from ascension to the IHO.
GLSC initiated the process with the IHO which was advanced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Part of the commission’s mandate includes executing or causing to execute hydrographic, topographic, geodetic and cadastral surveys in relation to land and water resources .
The commission moved to strengthen the hydrographic capacity of the country and to ensure access to the relevant international instruments and opportunities for development.
Ascension to the IHO is a major achievement, at an opportune time as the country develops its oil and gas sector.
Hydrographic surveys will update the suite of nautical charts and maintain the safety of maritime commerce, recreational boaters and natural ecosystems.
As part of the work being executed under the Sustainable Land Development and Management project, a National Spatial Data Infrastructure is being developed and implemented and digital data will include maps of the land and marine environments being updated and developed.

Dyna-Mac to build Liza 2 topsides
Singaporean yard sees work on Liza Destiny FPSO rewarded with second contract

EITI report – Understanding Energy

The first report for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a step towards full participation in the Norway-based EITI
I of 52 countries with strong natural resource sectors—in particular, oil, gas, and mining. It promotes transparency about how resource extraction and its revenues are governed as the best way to ensure that societies fairly benefit from resources.

Each country that implements the EITI standard has its own secretariat, GYEITI in Guyana, and a multi-stakeholder group that helps prepare and review progress reports. This 12-member group of representatives of civil society, industry and government ensures that different groups have line of sight on how resource revenues are managed.

SInce Guyana was officially accepted as an “implementing country” for the EITI standard in October 2017, GYEITI with the help of consultants and the multi-stakeholder group, has prepared Guyana’s first report which covers 2017. It focuses on the mining industry and the regulations and revenue management practices that were in place before the oil industry became a major extractor. It includes a detailed analysis conducted in compliance with international auditing standards and an examination of how resource revenues were reported to and recorded by government agencies. Data was contributed by Guyana Gold Board, Guyana Revenue Authority, Ministry of Finance, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, National Insurance Scheme, Environmental Protection Agency and corporations in the extractive sector.

Since oil production will begin in 2020, the report lacks detailed information about how Guyana is preparing for oil revenue.

13 commercial wells in the offshore Stabroek Block are predicted to generate tens of billions of US dollars over the next decade. How that revenue is managed is a key question. Over five billion barrels of oil were found and more discoveries are likely, as drilling and investments are ramped up in 2019. Exxon made its final investment decision on Liza Phase 2, the second major production area in the Stabroek Block when it comes online in the early 2020s.

The EITI report on oil and gas is encouraging. All active petroleum companies participated in data submission. The report suggested reforms to resource-management practices, mostly in the mining sector. Government agencies are urged to standardise data, enforce reporting requirements and publish licence registries and mineral agreements in the gold, bauxite, and diamond mining industries—a step that was taken in the oil industry when the government published its contract with the Exxon-led consortium last year.

The 2018 EITI report will feature oil and gas with additional investment in developing wells, facilities, and infrastructure ahead of first-oil production in 2020.

As companies from around the world show interest in Guyana, clear and effective laws to regulate foreign and domestic investments and to manage this unprecedented level of wealth and responsibility will be more important than ever. EITI is playing a leading role in preparing Guyana to be a major energy producer.

DNV GL – Digitalization and the future of energy

Digital skills gap constrains the energy sector
Lack of digital skills and internal barriers related to company culture and mindset are the main roadblocks hindering digital progress in the energy sector. 71% of organizations need employees with combined domain and digital experience and 18% have no employee with this combined skillset. These are some of the findings from the new DNV GL survey of nearly 2000 engineers and senior executives from start-ups to large corporations .

The research reveals unanimous recognition that digital skills training is needed, with 91% of respondents regarding it as fundamental for their organization to invest in. Data science and big data analytics are the most important digital skillsets for future energy workforces, cited by 41% and 35% respondents respectively. Even though data science was the most sought-after skill, only 23% of respondents stated that this role exists in their organization. Creativity was ranked highly, with 65% of respondents saying that they need employees with creative problem-solving skills.

The energy industry needs to change rapidly, striving to reduce carbon emissions and safeguard the planet. Transforming traditional operations through digitalization plays a vital role in enabling this change and facilitating the energy transition.

Lucy Craig, V.P. of Technology and Innovation at DNV GL – Energy said, “The energy industry is facing internal organizational hurdles that threaten its ability to keep up with the pace of digital progress. The technology to enable digital transformation is available but there’s a critical element missing that needs to be in place for digitalization to be successful. Organizations need to invest in practical skills training combined with a mindset shift to ensure their employees have the skills to add value on top of technology implementation. But just as we need to foster an individual mindset geared towards digitalization we also need to foster a collective one too, one which goes to the core of a company’s culture and challenges the industry’s strategic and operational ways of working.”

The full report Digitalization and the future of energy: Beyond the hype – How to create value by combining digital technology, people and business strategy is available to download .

Energy Digitalization

At DNV GL we combine our deep energy domain knowledge with cutting-edge digital technology to provide world-leading digital solutions across the power and renewables industry. We manage over 24GW of real-time operational data from solar PV, wind and storage assets of which our Green Power Monitor solutions manage 14.5 GW of solar PV plants including 25 mega-plants of over 100MW each. We have analysed over 65GW of operating wind assets and our analysts review over 12,500 wind, solar and grid sensors each week. Smart Cable Guard, a digital system for grid reliability, detects the location of electrical cable network failures with an accuracy of greater than 99%, preventing 65% of such failures. Dutch distribution operator Alliander has recently installed 1000 Smart Cable Guard systems in its grids, aiming to become the most reliable grid in The Netherlands. We help utilities implement data-driven energy efficiency programs which have saved over 7.9TWh over the last 3 years.

State Assets Recovery Agency Investigates Oil Block Leases

A probe is underway into how exploration rights were awarded to ExxonMobil and Tullow Oil for oil blocks in the world’s newest offshore hotspot. The companies are not targets of the investigation and are not accused of misconduct . They are operators of the blocks included in the scope of the investigation as the regime assesses procedures under which blocks were awarded. ” We’re building up a case. This is an area of investigation into how the blocks were allocated and the decisions that were made

Exxon is operator of Stabroek, Kaieteur, Canje and Tullow Oil operates Orinduik. The blocks will be part of the investigation.

Bordering oil states Venezuela and Brazil, Guyana became one of the world’s top hotspots for offshore operators in a few years. Critics of the way it handled the leases, such as former energy adviser Jan Mangal, claim that Guyana sold off oil riches cheaply and query timing of a lease for Kaieteur block to Exxon in the final days of the previous administration in 2015—nine days before Exxon announced its first discovery.

The annual exploration review of Rystad Energy named Exxon the top 2018 petroleum explorer, with its significant investment in Guyana, one of Exxon’s key growth areas. Following government and regulatory approvals Exxon gave the green light to the development of Liza Phase 2 , expected to begin producing up to 220,000 bpd in mid-2022. Phase 1 is on schedule for first oil of up to 120,000 bpd of production 1Q 2020,

ExxonMobil funds sport

ExxonMobil Guyana, with a contribution of GYD$10 million over two years has partnered with Waramuri Village, Barima-Waini, (Region One), to refurbish the recreational ground and supply equipment. ExxonMobil Guyana was represented at the event by Senior Director, Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe and Community Relations Manager, Suzanne De Abreu. Moe indicated that ExxonMobil Guyana is pleased to partner with the sports club on such a useful facility which was commissioned recently . “It is an opportunity to promote exercise, to promote youth development through sports… and really an opportunity to gather as family and friends as a larger community, working together and being one.”