Planning ahead, for some things only

Feb 12, 2021 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

Kaieteur News – There were two articles in the 11th February edition of KN that pointed to the many contradictions in the way that Exxon’s management thinks and operates with respect of Guyana and its oil. Those contradictions are powered by the mouth-watering visions and cunning calculations of Exxon’s planners and top managers. They think of every eventuality, prepare for almost all contingencies; except for one.
The first contradiction that alerted me, and confirmed yet again to me, as to the wily ingenuity of Exxon’s slickly energetic management hustlers is how they prepare for the future, how far ahead of the curve they get. There it was under the title, “ExxonMobil in full speed considering fifth FPSO -Mako-Uaru area likely target – Hess” (KN February 11). The company has not completed the fourth FPSO as yet but it is already barrelling forward with visions for a fifth one dancing in its head. It has not gotten anywhere off the ground with the second and third developments either, but it is on the move with strategic planning for a fifth one, with as many as 10 total behind number five. And now here is the startling contradiction: for a company that is so much into forward planning (a good thing); it is inexplicably deficient-criminally so-on something as basic as having either spare parts for gas flaring compressors, or an understanding of the operating life of one of those kinds of gas compressors pushed like a mule all of last year to work and deliver round the clock, so as to have an order for one in the hands of manufacturers on a pre-emptive basis. In other words, Exxon drinks like a fish of Guyana’s intoxicating oil blends, but made no preparation for a urinal or latrine. In the corporate world, and under normal circumstances, that is a firing offence for the non-availability and failure on something as vital as this gas compressor. But there is nothing normal about Exxon’s relationship with Guyana, its leaders, and this country’s oil. And that is why there are these failures and mysterious gaps, what I call criminal contradictions; what I would go so far as to label deliberate criminal contradictions. For if there is no fully functional gas compressor for monitoring purposes, then anything goes. That should be a hanging offence; I can now relate to why oil executives are targeted in some radicalised societies.
Editor, I return to anything goes out there in our oilfields and Exxon’s contradictions. There is that small, self-serving misstatement from Exxon’s Country Manager about flaring “16 million cubic feet of gas per day” which collided with Guyana’s own Vice President’s figure of “up to 18 million cubic feet per day” (‘New gas compressor ordered, to arrive by year end – ExxonMobil Rep. – Old one reaches Germany for diagnosis” KN February 11). It is more like an inconvenient truth, or a deliberate underrepresentation of the true number of millions of cubic feet known, but suppressed. On this one, I have to go with Guyana’s Hon. Vice President for his extremely rare challenge before and disagreement with Exxon on anything. I understand that his hands are tied but he held them out for that to be done, when his opportunity to take a finger and dig out Exxon’s eye was presented. Think Payara.
Guyanese need to understand also that year end is a lifetime away, with lots of potential problems posed. Many poisonous developments can happen in a year, and all to the detriment of this society and its hopes. Specifically, and more realistically, the local Exxon PRO (propagandist) noted that the replacement gas compressor “will be available closer to the end of the year.” Now there is another instance of the well thought-out and well-practised corporate talk from Ms. Janelle Persaud, who has the equivalent of handling a COVID-19 case without protective gear. She looks vulnerable. For, “closer to the end of the year”, can be anywhere from the July 1 to December 31. Guyanese leaders and citizens are welcome to take their pick. I settle for late November-early December, which means next year. Will somebody tell these mothers to close down production immediately! And haul their sorry asses out of here! NOW!
Editor, the defective compressor failed three times, and this is where Exxon is now. I am going to break from a personal standard, and address Guyana’s Vice President by name this one time. I call upon Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo to send these guys packing. Right now! Let them take us to court. Let’s go eyeball to eyeball with Darren Woods and Alistair Routledge and spit in their slave master faces. As for Ms. Persaud, with a name like that, I take her for Guyanese, so I will be mild and spare her. She should find another job; one that helps her sleep well. For she works for a company that plans wisely for everything, but it does not prioritise fallback coverages for what the EPA head noted, as part of the standing agreement. Why are these people still here?

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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