Venue for Reg. #4 consultation on 6th oil project missing in Exxon’s notice

Jan 29, 2023 News

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…Glenn Lall says ‘company merely fulfilling requirement, not serious about stakeholder participation’

Kaieteur News – American oil giant, ExxonMobil through its local operator, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has a series of consultations planned with citizens to discuss their concerns with the sixth offshore operation planned in the Stabroek Block, the Whiptail development.

In an advertisement placed in this newspaper, the oil company detailed that eight meetings are planned to garner feedback from the public. The consultations will kick off on Monday, January 30, 2023 and wind down on February 7, 2023.

Notably, the sessions will be spread out across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. While the venue and time has been set for all the other Regions, Exxon did not specify where or when the meeting will be held in Region Four, the most populated district in the country.

The meetings held in Region Four usually attract a greater number of citizens with relevant concerns about the project. During its last Consultation on the fifth project, for example, Shadow Natural Resources Minister, David Patterson was in attendance, along with local Engineer and Chemist, Alfred Bhulai. Transparency advocate and Lawyer, Elizabeth Deane-Hughes was also present to register her concerns and questions during the scoping session.

With the venue yet to be announced for the meeting in Region Four, set for Thursday, February 2, 2023 stakeholders believe that this is a deliberate attempt to avoid the participation of citizens.

Publisher of this newspaper Mr. Glenn Lall after he became aware of the matter was eager to offer his comments. Lall who has been vocal on governance of the oil sector said Exxon is clearly not serious about stakeholder engagements.

“This is just a sham because of the requirement in place for it to be done. They want to show the World how transparent they were – that they engaged the country and its people- so no one can accuse them of highhandedness with the people’s oil wealth,” he said.

He explained that the oil company craftily followed the regulation and published a newspaper advertisement so there is evidence that the public was invited to participate in the meetings. Lall was keen to point out however that in the same notice, Exxon said the venue and time for the Region Four meeting is yet to be announced.

According to the transparency activist, “They are waiting on the ninth hour to tell you the consultation is here, knowing fully well the game they are playing.”

The newspaper Publisher added, “What is more painful is that the government of the day and the Opposition are silent to this disrespect.”

Two meetings will be hosted in Region One on January 30 and 31 at Flavio’s Hall, Santa Rosa and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Boardroom respectively.

One session is planned for Region Two on February 1, at the Anna Regina Townhall followed by the meeting in Region Four which has not yet been allotted a venue and time.

Exxon will meet with citizens at the Leonora Technical Institute in Region Three on February 3, and move to Region Six for another meeting at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Training Centre in Port Mourant on February 7.

Two meetings will be hosted in Region Five at the Mahaica Technical institute and the Latchman Singh Primary School on February 6.

A source at EEPGL told this newspaper that the oil company was having issues finalizing the location for the meeting in Region Four. According to individual, Exxon was trying to secure the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown for the session. The source said a notice will be published when the company secures the venue for the scoping session that is less than a week away.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has told Exxon that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be required for this project. Currently, the regulator is reviewing its application for the fifth project in the Stabroek Block.

Its sixth project, the Whiptail development, seeks to produce oil at the Whiptail, Pinktail and Tilapia fields. Tilapia’s discovery was announced by the oil giant in February 2019. It was followed by the welcomed news of another successful exploration activity at Whiptail field in July 2021 and Pinktail in 2021.

In the oil giant’s Project Summary, available on the EPA’s website, it was noted that the operations will add up to 275,000 barrels of oil per day to the current production rates of about 393,000 barrels of oil per day.

ExxonMobil hopes to start up the sixth development by the fourth quarter of 2027 or first quarter of 2028. It has an expected field life of at least 20 years.

Whiptail will be located in the south eastern portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 183 km from Georgetown. Current plans include drilling via drill ships to produce oil from approximately 40 – 65 production and injection wells.

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• Consultations, ExxonMobil, Glenn Lall, Notice, oil, Whiptail

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