Opposition calls for independent probe of Exxon’s plans to pump above safety limits

May 30, 2024 News

…questions EPA’s capacity in light of Court rulings

Kaieteur News – The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) faction of the political Opposition is calling for the plans of American oil giant, ExxonMobil to push oil production in the Stabroek Block beyond the safe operating limits to be thoroughly vetted by independent international consultants rather than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Opposition spokesman on oil and gas, Elson Low

In a recent interview with this newspaper, Oil and Gas spokesman for the Opposition, Elson Low said the group was concerned about the EPA’s capacity to assess the safety of the modification works being conducted by the oil company to boost production on the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. All three FPSOs currently producing oil in the Stabroek Block are operating beyond the safety limits outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for the respective projects. Exxon is also planning a second debottlenecking activity to further ramp up production at the Liza Two project later this year.

To this end, Low told Kaieteur News, “We are especially concerned as to the EPA’s capacity to assess the safety of these modifications to the FPSOs and believe that an international consultant should be called in to review each project.”

He said there is no evidence that the EPA has staffed itself with the requisite expertise to assess such technical plans. Low pointed out that when the previous Head of the EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams was dismissed from the agency, other technical officers were also sent packing shortly after.

Moreover, Low explained, “One of the specific reasons that we question the capacity, you would of course know some of the concerns with regards to the waivers of EIAs, but also Justice Sandil Kissoon’s decision regarding the unlimited parent company guarantee.”

He continued, “One of the things he said is that the EPA had failed to take any effort to even assess whether or not what was purported to be insurance was in fact insurance. That has created great skepticism in us regarding whether or not the EPA has actually been checking whether these modifications to the FPSOs are indeed safe and appropriate.”

By failing to conduct robust reviews of such plans, he said Guyana is allowing an increased risk of a spill. “If we have not been able to assess these modifications we are looking at an increased risk of an oil spill across multiple FPSOs. Now the risk will spread across the entire field and will continue if additional FPSOs are similarly modified without the EPA having robust monitoring and assessments.”

To this end, he said the government should strongly consider utilizing the skills of an independent international firm with the expertise to conduct the assessments to ensure safety. Low was keen to note, “It’s not just one FPSO, its multiple FPSOs that they are modifying and really, one would be bad enough…without an unlimited parent company guarantee, we will continue to be anxious about the risks to our economy, environment, people and neighbors from an oil spill.”

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assess, Consultant, EPA, International, People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R), production, ramping up

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