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With Yellowtail project, ExxonMobil proposes to continue trend of dumping toxic water into ocean
Kaieteur News – While international best practices dictate that toxic water which is brought up from reservoirs during oil extraction is supposed to be re-injected into separate wells, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is proposing to do the opposite for its Yellowtail project, the fourth to be developed in the Stabroek Block. According to the project summary it submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ExxonMobil wants to dump this toxic water into the ocean.
The document notes that the treated produced water and cooling water will be discharged overboard as per industry best practices.
It should be noted however that this water is only supposed to be dumped into the ocean after it has been proven that it is not financially feasible to reinject same, and the water would have no harmful effects on the marine life surrounding the project. Importantly, ExxonMobil has not proven any of the foregoing points.
Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams was one of the few individuals who had challenged ExxonMobil on its desire to dump the toxic water into the ocean even though international best practices state, that reinjection should be high priority since the toxicity of the fluid can have a range of harmful effects on marine life.
Dr. Adams in previous interviews had said that Guyana left this gaping loophole in the Liza Phase One and Two Permits hence, he had advocated strongly for ExxonMobil not to be allowed to do same with Payara.
In spite of the advice he offered, the PPP/C Government still granted ExxonMobil an Environmental Permit that allows it to dump the toxic water into the ocean pending the outcome of a study which Guyana ultimately pays for through cost recovery.
According to the Payara Environmental Permit, a study is required to be conducted to investigate and determine the feasibility and implications of re-injecting all of the produced water from the project.
Since last year, the Environmental Protection Agency has called on Exxon to submit for approval, terms of reference for the conduct of the study, detailing the feasibility of re-injecting produced water in lieu of routine discharge to the ocean, including implementing for the future installation of facilities for produced water injection, an evaluation of any potential risks to the reservoir from injection, a full cost benefit analysis, and the recommendations of the permit holder.
Within 180 days of the date of the EPA’s approval of the said terms, ExxonMobil is expected to complete the study’s final reports. The study is also expected to be conducted by an independent consultant approved by the agency.
Following the perusal of the results, the permit notes that the treatment of produced water at the Payara project “may be amended by the agency in consideration of the aforementioned approved study and the conclusions of the EPA, the Permit Holder and the Minister of Natural Resources…”
It therefore means that Guyana has no guarantee that ExxonMobil would be forced to re-inject all of the produced water if the study shows that the dumping of the water would be harmful to marine life.
To date, the EPA has been silent about the status of the said study.
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