National oil spill plan still incomplete but offshore drilling accelerates

Mar 31, 2019 News

Since 2016, calls have been unending for Guyana to have in place, a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. To date, this document is still to be completed. In the meantime, offshore drilling activities are poised to accelerate this year.
According to a report that was produced by Financial Analyst, Jenny Xenos, of Canaccord Genuity Corporation which is based in Canada, offshore Guyana is expected to see about 14 wells being drilled.
In an Industry Update report, the author stated that up to nine wells will be drilled on the prolific Stabroek block, two of which are currently being drilled. The Stabroek Block is operated by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Hess and CNOOC.
Furthermore, two wells are slated for drilling on the Orinduik Block which is under the licensed control of Tullow Oil, Total and Eco Atlantic. One well is planned for the Kanuku Block by Repsol and Tullow Oil.
The Corentyne Block also has one well planned for drilling by its operators, CGX and Frontera Energy. The Canje Block will also see one well being drilled by ExxonMobil, Total JHI and Mid-Atlantic.

IDB URGES
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is of the firm view that Guyana should have a national oil spill contingency plan in place before oil production commences in 2020.
In its special report, the IDB noted that Guyana’s CARICOM sister, Trinidad and Tobago, which has been in the petroleum industry for more than a century, has taken the wise move to safeguard its sector with a national oil spill plan.
That plan was updated and passed by TT’s Cabinet in January 2013. The IDB said that with TT’s new plan, “Deep-water drilling operators will now be required to demonstrate accessibility to a containment lap system to arrest a subsea blow out event.”
The IDB believes that Guyana can take a page from Trinidad’s book and get its own plan in place soon.
It has been over 10 months since the first round of consultations was held on the draft national oil spill plan. The document was submitted to Cabinet but it is still to be made public and finalized.
Leading the work on the oil spill plan is the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

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