ExxonMobil distracting population with GTE consultations – Environmental Activist

May 08, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News
By Davina Bagot
ExxonMobil plans to commence a series of consultations with the public, commencing Monday (tomorrow), on the planned Gas-to-Energy project to be built at Wales, West Bank Demerara but one activist has called for the consultations to be postponed until after the 60-day comments period, as she believes the process is nothing but a distraction.
The activist, Elizabeth Hughes, on Thursday penned a letter to ExxonMobil’s Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, as well as the Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EOA), Kemraj Parsram, where she presented her arguments.
In the letter seen by Kaieteur News, Hughes asked that the public consultations “…be postponed until after the 60 days period of the EPA ignited by your EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) submissions in or around 20 April 2022.”
Hughes acknowledged the importance of stakeholder consultations, especially for such a massive venture, but outlined that it is equally important for the public review period be honoured as citizens have just a limited time to read through the ‘voluminous document’ to share their concerns.
The EIA submitted by Exxon’s consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), is more than 1400 pages.
As such, she noted that the public must be afforded “noise free” time from the oil company to gain a full understanding of the gas-to-energy project to be able to meaningfully engage at the appropriate time.
More importantly, she flagged the company for failing to consult with residents of Canal Number One in Region Three where the project will be constructed.
Hughes argued, “Kindly note that none of the stakeholders in the immediate vicinity of the proposed pipeline route through Canal #1 were ever consulted. How could the EIS document make it thus far when its preparation is lacking in the engagement needed to assess the impacts landowners and residents in the direct vicinity will suffer referred to as ‘primary stakeholders’ in the ‘Stakeholder Engagement Strategy’? This is a failure in the implementation of your own self-created ‘Stakeholder Engagement Plan for Guyana’.”
But even as Hughes lauded the company for it educational campaigns, she noted it was unnecessary at this point of the process. She reasoned, “As this is not a competitive process, postponing the time would neither add nor take away from your position of attainment. Further, this round of proposed meetings and consultations does not affect the outcome of the EPA’s decision only causes needless distractions. We would appreciate this quietude from you on public consultation about the ‘gas-to-energy project, the EPA’s authorisation process and assessment findings” until after the expiration of the 60-day period.
This, she noted, would create the environment to “help us ensure that we are setting the stage for the future generations of Guyanese with clarity and mutual respect.”
Kaieteur News had reported that some land owners at Crane, Canal Number One and Canal Number Two, in Region Three may not be allowed to grow crops or develop new structures that may interfere with the pipeline to be laid by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).
The document said that one residential property within the planned onshore pipeline route about 175 metres south of the shore crossing may have to relocate, along with four other dwellings located within 500 metres of the heavy haul road and temporary materials offloading facility (MOF).
EEPGL was keen to note that the government is responsible for project-related land acquisition but the company will support the administration in developing and implementing a ‘Resettlement and Livelihood Restoration Strategy’ aligned with “international standards”.
When it comes to land use, the oil company explained that the project may result in a change of land ownership or tenure for all or part of a property, parcel, or land use area. It explained that a 12.2 metre wide permanent right of way (ROW) will be established to aid in operation and maintenance of the onshore pipeline.
As such, any land that falls within the permanent ROW will be frozen. The document did not say how many homes will be affected by this ROW. According to the document, “Land use in the permanent ROW will be restricted and growing crops or construction of any structures will not be permitted in the permanent ROW. The legal formation of the ROW may result in changes to existing private property boundaries and/or the details of licences, leases, permits, or other tenures related to the use of affected public lands.”
The company said too that the ROW will be “minimal in width and largely aligned with the existing canals and drainage channels” and concluded that the impact on land ownership and/or tenure will be of minor significance during the construction and operations stages, even in the absence of specific information about private properties or other land tenures.
The ROW, according to the EIA,crosses populated areas in the vicinities of Crane, Canal One, and Canal Two. EEPGL pointed out that populated areas within these communities will be crossed by horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to avoid or reduce disturbances to properties but the restrictions with the ROW will still be in effect.
The EIA goes on to explain that agricultural activity in other areas may also be impacted, as some farmers may be denied access to carry out their agricultural activities.
According to the EIA, “Agricultural activities (crops and livestock) are the most significant land uses in the Primary Study Area. The Project’s use of land during the Construction and Operations stages will reduce access to affected land for agricultural or other purposes. This loss of access could result in temporary and/or permanent economic displacement for people who may depend on these lands for their livelihoods, employment, and/or income-generating activities.”
The displacement of agricultural land use is expected to occur along the onshore pipeline route near Crane, and west of West Minister/Lust-en-Rust and between Canal Number One and Two where rice, pineapple and mixed crops are planted, respectively.
The project
The Gas-to-Energy project is being pursued by EEPGL, on behalf of itself and its coventurers (Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited). It proposes to bring the associated natural gas, produced from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block, to shore for use.
The Government of Guyana is pursuing a separate project to construct a power plant that would use a portion of this associated natural gas as a fuel source. Accordingly, EEPGL, at the request of the Government, is proposing the project to provide fuel for the power plant.
The project will involve capturing associated gas produced from crude oil production operations on the Liza Phase 1 (Destiny) and Liza Phase 2 (Unity) Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, transporting approximately 50 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd; 1.4 million standard cubic metres per day [MMsm3/d]) of rich gas via a subsea pipeline and then an onshore pipeline to a NGL processing plant, treating the gas to remove NGLs for sale to third parties, and ultimately delivering dry gas meeting government specifications for use at the power plant.
Construction will begin after the company receives all necessary authorisations, with a target date of August 2022 for start of NGL Plant site preparation, and will take approximately three years. The combined offshore and onshore pipeline system is targeted to be ready to deliver rich gas by end of 2024, and the NGL Plant is targeted to be operational by mid-2025. The project has a planned life cycle of at least 25 years.
The aspect of the project for which the oil company is responsible, that is to say, the installation of the offshore and onshore pipelines, is set to cost a whopping US$1.3B.

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