Environmental degradation by ExxonMobil continues unabated

Jun 18, 2022 Letters

---

Dear Chairman & Board of Directors of ExxonMobil, Engine#1, Hess, CNOOC;

Since 2016 ExxonMobil has been developing oil fields in the seas of Guyana, a country which has a long-standing “green state” vision and progressive agenda that has existed before and since the Rio Earth Conference and including the SIDS Programmes of Action and the Paris Climate Agreement.

This vision has existed and has been developed over many decades with successive governments and consistently advocated by Guyanese NGOs and Civil Society. Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples have conserved our world class tropical rain forests for millennia and Guyana has been awarded the prestigious #1” Best of Ecotourism” destination award. This sparsely populated country, under-educated and inexperienced in the Oil & Gas sector, is unable to combat the onslaught of the rapidity of the oil field developments and the proposed upcoming gas sector development.

The vast majority of Guyanese are unaware of or insufficiently informed of what these new Oil and Gas “developments” are, what is at stake and how their livelihoods and community resources and locations will be affected. These developments have serious consequence on both the environment and its multi-ethnic people as the multi-national fails to adhere to the environmental and legal regulations of Guyana. ExxonMobil is currently concentrating most of its future development in the oil and gas sector in this country located on the coast of South America and which is part of Amazonia and the Caribbean Community. From the inception of the Liza-1 Oil Field Development, ExxonMobil has ignored concerns expressed locally and internationally in the following areas inter alia:

1. No parent company insurance

2. Controversial environmental and social impacts in Liza-1, Liza-2, Yellowtail oil field development permits.

3. Illegal and continuous gas flaring

4. Dumping of toxic waste water in the sea/ocean

5. Transporting of hazardous substances, toxic waste and radioactive sources from its off-shore rigs via ocean, river and road to related on-shore facilities (with no EIAs carried out)

6. Permits do not align with International best practice

7. ExxonMobil Guyana refuses to sign, put names of directors, address as per the regulations of the Guyana under its Environmental Protection Act Section 11 and its Regulations Section 17

8. ExxonMobil’s upcoming proposal for a pipeline development in the nascent gas sector is fraught with environmental irregularities, lack of genuine social engagement and documented issues related to affected citizens and communities; and

9. non-compliance with legal requirements.

The recent newspaper articles highlight some of the issues:

The most immediate urgency is the proposed development of the Gas sector. On 20 April 2022, ExxonMobil submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Environmental Impact Strategy (EIS) to the Environmental Protection Agency replete with non-adherence to the legislation, regulations and contracts:-

1. No consultation of primary stakeholders who live along the proposed pipeline route

2. No name of developer, ExxonMobil on the submitted documents, nor that of board of directors

3. No proof of ownership of land where proposed pipeline will be laid

4. No evidence of feasibility study as per 1794/2017 Petroleum Agreement

5. No professional Gender Analysis or Gender-related impact assessment or impacts on women specifically assessed

6. No evidence of compliance with Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from any Indigenous Community

7. Evidence of draft documents in the technical reports. These aforesaid written documents have prohibitive exclusion clauses

8. No Gas Leak Pipeline Management Plan or System in submitted EIA/EIS

9. No response to questions being asked.

On 18 June 2022 the prescribed period for comments as per Environmental Protection Act ends. Once this period ends ExxonMobil moves unto the permission stage with the abovementioned non-adherence to rule of law of Guyana. This would mean that the Gas sector would be ungovernable and unregulated. Guyana has no Gas Leak Management Plan nor System and ExxonMobil has full knowledge of this – kindly see attached letter signed and delivered to their local offices.

Immediate attention Board members is needed before 18 June to stop this devolving into a Guyana Rule of Law/ Constitutional Crisis propelled by ExxonMobil actions and non-responses.

We, the undersigned, speak on behalf of present and future generations of Guyanese, seek your intervention to prevent our beautiful green lush country Guyana from heading into instability due to ExxonMobil’s lack of adherence to environmental norms, social responsibilities & legal requirements.

Trust we will hear from you in time.

Thank you for your attention.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth Deane-Hughes
Alissa Trotz
Isabelle DeCaries
Jocelyn Dow
Arthur Thijm
Michael Adams
Sharmaine Narine
Pamela Fraser
Hollis France
Vanda Radzik
Janette Bulkan
Danuta Radzik
Nesha Haniff
Jerry Jailall
Darshanand Khusial
Frederick Collins
Karen de Souza
Nichola Joy Marcus
Halima Khan
Susan Collymore
Wintress White
Troy Thomas
Colin Klautky
Pauline Melville
Lisa Edwards
Abbyssinian Carto
Kathleen Rodney-Scott
Pauline E. Bullen
Luke Daniels
Alfred Bhulai
Charlene Wilkinson
Rod Westmaas
Juanita Cox
Melina Harris
Joel Simpson
Nigel Westmaas
Menakshi Babulal
Milton Grannum
Mosa Telford
Tracy Cholmondeley
Michelle Asantewa
Gilbert Sebastian
Ternace Peter Francis
Sharmela Mc Garrell
Mary Perreira
Ogela Paul
Datson Simon
Merle Melindar
Freda James
Bornes Bill
Gorothy Melville
Elizabeth Peters
Julita Daniel
Phillip Laurindo
Cleary Franciso
Jesson George
Kitron Pio
Cecleia Simeon
Alfy John.
Lionel Lawrence
Derek Williams
Mark Timothy Francis
Kevin Joannis
Miranda Aucustus
Bennet Nazio
Mary Mavis Pio
Vanhercel Frazer
Malcon Edwin
Marina Nazio
Manhota Aaron
Marla Williams
Aerman Aaron
Regis Cyprian
Anthony Skybar Elise Samuel
Austin Francis
Leo Benjamin
Bartholomen Juan
Phillip Pablo
Dee Hamilton
Inez David
Sabita Singh
Noel Thomas
Ignatius Thomas
Denise Da Silva
Bertha Aaron
Randall Lewis
Elisue Alfred
Lily Williams
Vincent Baptisa Sabrina Ann Edwin
Iris Williams
Endalina Hilario
Francisco Pio
Mark Vittalis
Harvey Samuels
Sonita Hendricks
Fernand Martin
Robert Manoel
Fesha Evans
Lucy Robertson
Lucina Daniel
Francis King
Hawkins Issac
Matthias Luke
Desousa Gomes
Orlando Richards
Basco Romeo
Fabian Berchman
Linchino Bennette
Oscar Salvador
Mark Johnson
Doreen King
Dorothia Philip
Camelita Edmonson
Edna Alfred
Junita Pablo
Meriel Francisco
Rupert Adamson Edward
Mathison Abraham
Orlando Edwards
Verna Bernard
Francisco Pais
Melville Marks
Eula Marcello
Wayne Miguel
Byron Joseph
Ernest Moses
Florina Evans
Odette Skybar
Wanita Thomas
Bryan Jonas
Vincent Fitzgerald Adams
Hubert Alban
Isaiah Williams
Solom Dwarka
Matthias Charles
Harold Augustine
Gloria Haramottoo
Sarujdai Persaud
Verleine Xavier
Rosita Andrew
Perita Pio
Sylvester Gonsalves
Clarissa David
Gemma Seegobin
Alex Marco
Bagot David
Ian Hendricks
Desmond Aaron
Stanley Andrew
Shaneeza Jairaj
Edna Albert
Stepehn Salvador
Wilbur Caesar
Alehious Hendricks
Percival Anchieta
Ali Peters
David Williams
Earl Canterbury
Egbert Sandwell
Elvis Fitzgerald
Gillian Oaron
Denise Domingo
De Andrade Luz
Nicholas Thomas
Clyde John
Delfine Aaron
Mavis Andrew
Anthony Daniels
Velma John
Sighn Aaron
Eldon Benjamin
Ricky Garcia.
Augusta Salvador
Cecil Matheson
Victoria Andrew
Kazan Thomas
Gloria Carter
Maurice Luke
Claver Xavier
Latoya Cypriano
Clement Canzius
Bertha Shortt
Melanie Nagalla
Clifford Clario
Leslie Moses
Denelta Cyril
Ruth Hancock
Douglas Courtman
Barbara Yonettte
Rose Aaron
Cyril Welcome
Wayne Courtman
Cecil Campion
Dennis Aaron
Brenda Lewis Antonio
Edles Dos Santos
Vanessa Lewis
Jillian Lazarus
Ameer Ally
Selina Halley
Patrick Thomas
Thomas Moses
Lynn Alfred
Julia John
Vanessa Harry
Gilbert Berchman
Indira Budram
Xavier John
Shane Williams
Ermelinda Martin
Leon Timmerman
Latoya David
Christopher Abraham
Arni Edward
Nascimento Williams
Stanley Williams
Nelson Roth
Amanda Rajmangal
Borjina Stanislaus
Julia Simon
Jerome Martin
Miles Williams
Eon Nazier
Stanislaus Francis
Diaz Simmons
Faith Xavier
Carlos Nascimento
Fabian Xavier
Travis Sebastian
Julia Torress
Edmond Johnson Young
Ray Fredericks
Arlene Peters
Norman Evans
Barnabas Abraham
Ovid Erigot
Ignatius Thomas
Carl Fredericks
Noel Joseph
Deonista Samuel
Smith Skybar
Anginia Melville
Johnson Young
Brian Nathan
Alanza De Agrella
Diana Daniels
Winston Nathan
Jim Calisto
Kendall Joseph
Augusta Salvador
Steven Canterbury
John Robertson
Diana Daniels
Brandon Calistro
Natasha Graham
Cynthia Prince
Nicola Dublin
Sharotte Aaron
Elsa Charlie
Norbet Joanny
Estelle Peters
Keterry Flemming
Gomes Samuel
Upton Aaron
Jeanette Stanislaus
Rodney Robin
Allan Ivor Andrew
Wilfred Edwards
Cecelia Manoel
Murtala Glasgow
Alice Pablo
Leo John
Edith Albert
Tamar Bento
Wilma Robinson
Jane Peter
Parkinson Austin
Mottielall Denanauth
Glen Couchman
Cambridge Felix
May Toney
Robert Joseph
Anthony Lovell
Marcelyn Charles
Don Joe
Cora George
Rose Prince
Bryan Braithwaite
Harris Edwin
Barbara Banfus
Laticia Andrew
Austin Daniels
Mortimer Holder
Clario Xavier
Abalone Gomes
Fabian Bennett
Ivan Paul
Leone Feliz
Timothy Baird
Gordon Scipio
Roy Xavier
Desmond Boucher
Lena Luke
Arlington Arthur
Lucinei Lewis
Cliff Edward Williams
Hope Mark
David Francis
Vernita Susanna Xavier
Lena Jeffrey
Brionna Garraway
Lee Francis
Evan Peters
Victoria Courtman
Iros Scipio
Levi Carter
Weston Trim
Rita Sonny
Juanita Gabriel
Lucy Felix
Mandie Marques
Aviola Joseph
Agafa Remy
Irenaeus Martin
Allan Luke
Ellis Elliot
Wilfred Peters
Ruth Waithe
Adolphus Monica
Hendra King
Sue Banfus
James Paul
Ann Layers
Vivian Bill
Philip Skellikie
Roth King
Bruce James
Da Silver Moses
Sally Kaiser

---

---