Event will not address renegotiation of contract or full coverage insurance to protect the region

Feb 15, 2022 News

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Guyana’s 4-day Energy Conference mainly sponsored by ExxonMobil & its subcontractors opens today…

Kaieteur News – The International Energy Conference and Exhibition-Guyana 2022 which commences today to facilitate discussions in the nation’s best interest is primarily sponsored by American oil giant, ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek Block, Hess Corporation and CNOOC.
Several of Exxon’s subcontractors are also major sponsors. They include SBM Offshore, Saipem, Schlumberger, TehnipFMC, Baker Hughes, and Stena Drilling.
The four-day event which is being hosted at the Marriott Hotel is expected to see discussions on several topics which include the energy transition; the health, safety and environmental culture that is required in the sector; opportunities for members of the Diaspora; the plans of the government to ensure the transition away from heavy fossil fuels; local content; and activity updates from oil operators in Guyana’s waters.
Significantly, there will be zero discussion or attention paid to the two biggest issues affecting Guyanese and that of future generations— the unwillingness of ExxonMobil to provide full coverage insurance for its projects and renegotiation of the fatally flawed Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).
On Sunday, Kaieteur News published a news item which featured comments from Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram who noted the golden opportunity that is before the PPP/C Government at this conference.
Ram noted that both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the two most powerful men in Guyana’s oil sector, will be speaking at the conference today. Also slated to deliver a featured address is Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil, Darren Woods. Ram is of the firm conviction that Jagdeo and Ali ought to use this opportunity of having Woods in-country to lobby him publicly and privately on the need for Guyana to correct some of the most onerous terms of the contract.
Publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall has also stated that while he supports Ram’s sentiments, he would add that Guyana ought to demand full coverage insurance for all of the ExxonMobil operated projects for in the absence of same, Guyana leaves itself and the region by extension, exposed to the incredibly devastating impacts of an unmitigated oil spill.
Noticeably silent on the key issues that ought to be given due attention at the conference is the political opposition. While it has raised an alarm about not being invited to attend, it has failed to make any demands on what the government and the organisers should be addressing in the interest of the citizenry.
While organisers have already confirmed with this newspaper that contract renegotiation or full coverage insurance, two critical issues for national security, did not make the final agenda, they were able to confirm some of the other speakers and topics that would be considered over the next four days.
This newspaper understands that the conference will be opened today with statements from Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana; Chandrikapersad Santokhi, the President of Suriname; and Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados. Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be delivering the keynote address.
Following the foregoing presentations, Vice President, Dr. Jagdeo will be outlining early on, Guyana’s Oil and Gas Policy, after which, Darren Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil will deliver his address.

The first day will also feature three activities, which are focused on local content. Annand Jagesar, the Managing Director of Staatsolie (Suriname’s National Oil Company) will be sharing his home country’s experience on this subject matter as well as insight on local content initiatives pursued in the Dutch speaking country.
There will also be a panel discussion on local content, which will see input from Deodat Indar, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works; Martin Pertab, Director at the Local Content Secretariat for the Ministry of Natural Resources; Nicolas Sicard, Area Director for Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago at TechnipFMC; Francesco Prazzo, General Manager at SBM Offshore, Guyana; Brent Patterson, Regional Director at Blue Water Shipping; and Paul Cheong, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission.
Another panel discussion focused on skills needed for the progress of the energy industry in Guyana will also be hosted and see participation from Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters, Manager at the ExxonMobil funded-Centre for Business Development; Maria Claudia Borras, Group Executive Vice-President at Baker Hughes; Brian McShane, Senior Vice President at Intecsea; and Lars Mangal, Chief Executive Officer at Totaltec.
Tomorrow, Jagdeo is scheduled to start the day with a presentation on Guyana’s sustainable approach for a sustainable future. He will be followed by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat who is expected to provide key updates on the Energy Corridor and Cross Border oil field development and services.

Operations updates are expected to be provided Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana; Gabriel De Alba, Chairman of CGX; Ryan Ramjit, Country Manager for Guyana, Repsol and Mitch Jie-A-Looi, Team Lead of Geoscience Operations at Staatsolie.
Winston Brassington who is the ex-Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and now a key advisor to the government, is expected to make two presentations. Tomorrow, he is expected to focus on the government’s US$900M gas-to-energy project while on Thursday, his attention will shift to the Amaila Falls Hydro-Project.
The final day, that is Friday, February 18, will be reserved for business-to-business meetings where conference participants will be paired with local companies to consider potential avenues for partnerships.
A trade show featuring hundreds of companies from around the world as well as those already here will be hosted simultaneously at the Marriott Hotel from today to Friday.

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