Latest update April 18th, 2025 8:12 AM
Exxon’s flaring reduced, production up at Liza 1 – EPA Head
Head of the Environmental Production Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, confirmed yesterday that ExxonMobil has been able to significantly cut back on the gas it has been burning since last Christmas at the Liza Phase One Project in the Stabroek Block.
EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams
ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud
According to Dr. Adams, ExxonMobil has moved from flaring approximately 20 million cubic feet of gas per day to less than 15 million cubic feet. As a result of re-injecting the gas instead of burning it, ExxonMobil is now able to stimulate the migration of more oil to its production wells. In fact, Dr. Adams said that the oil giant has returned to previous production figures which stood at 80,000 barrels of oil per day.
Dr. Adams said, “If you recall, they were experiencing issues with the gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny and were burning about 20 to 15 million cubic feet of gas…The good news is that the flaring is even less now because they are getting the equipment to work.
“The flaring is now around 12 million cubic per day. They have been able to ramp up production too. They are back at previous levels. I am hoping that they get to 100 percent re-injection of gas by month-end.”
Initially, ExxonMobil was flaring over 80 million cubic feet of gas per day due to issues it had been experiencing with a gas compressor for the Liza Destiny oil vessel. As a result of travel restrictions stemming from the national COVID-19 measures, Exxon faced a number of logistical issues that stymied the speed at which ExxonMobil was expected to get experts on board the oil vessel so that the compressor could be fixed.
By the time the media exposed the issue a few weeks ago ExxonMobil had already flared over nine billion cubic feet of gas. The American oil giant and even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had faced a wave of criticism from local and international stakeholders on the issue. On the local platform, Conservationist Annette Arjoon-Martins spoke extensively about the dangers of flaring which releases harmful toxins into the atmosphere. She also reminded of treaties Guyana signed onto which require that it keeps its carbon emissions low. With this in mind, the Conservationist asserted that Guyana’s authorities have to ensure that the nation upholds its obligations and get ExxonMobil to cease flaring forthwith.
On the global platform, an organization called the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL) said that Guyana’s authorities are perhaps oblivious to the harms of flaring while noting that the authorities need to be more aggressive on the issue. During an exclusive interview on Kaieteur Radio’s Programme, Guyana’s Oil and You, CIEL’s President, Carroll Muffett said that the flaring of over nine billion cubic feet of gas is equivalent to more than a kilogramme (kg) of Carbon Dioxide (C02) for every Guyanese. At room temperature, one kg of CO2 can occupy the trunk of a large car. Taking this into consideration, he too insisted that Guyana makes every effort to bring an end to the flaring by ExxonMobil.
In a brief comment, Public and Government Affairs Advisor for ExxonMobil, Janelle Persaud said, that the company has been able to reduce flaring to a significant degree while noting that it is working attentively towards addressing the matter.
Persaud said, “We continue to safely complete final commissioning of the gas handling system. We have two of the three gas handling systems online and are currently injecting or using 85% of the produced gas from the reservoir. With gas reinjection online, we are able to ramp up production and reduce flaring. Once the system is fully commissioned, we will be able to produce at full capacity.”
Persaud also said that both the safety of the people working on the Liza Destiny and the company’s efforts to minimize flaring are key priorities for ExxonMobil Guyana. “…We will continue to work with the government of Guyana, including the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy, to operate safely and in accordance with our environmental impact assessment and permit,” the ExxonMobil official concluded.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
A Different Silence
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Good Friday in Guyana is not what it used to be. The day has lost its hush. There was a... more
Collaborative Government–Private Sector Action Imperative for a Resilient Trade Future
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- On April 9, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day suspension of the higher... more
Weekend Cartoon
