Latest update March 26th, 2026 7:55 AM
No risk of explosion at new gas pipeline for Hammerhead project- Exxon consultant
Kaieteur News- As part of its seventh planned offshore development, the Hammerhead project, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) will be constructing a new pipeline to connect to the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) infrastructure.
Map showing the location of the Hammerhead project in the Stabroek Block .
According to the oil giant’s consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), there is no likelihood of an explosion associated with the additional 13-kilometer pipeline that will be laid several meters below the surface of the sea.
During a public disclosure meeting at the Diamond Primary School, East Bank Demerara, ERM was asked to explain the reason for its study being silent on risks associated with the proposed gas pipeline.
To this end, ERM Partner, Craig Niedermeier explained that the group assessed impacts within the Project Development Area (PDA) specifically with regard to disturbances to the seabed.
He clarified, “We did look at impacts as part of our Project description, part of the PDA…so we looked at disturbances at the seabed, based on that pipeline being installed so that was part of our assessment.”
Meanwhile, when asked about the likelihood of an explosion that may occur near the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), Niedermeier told this newspaper that this was unlikely.
According to him, “As far as an unplanned (event) we did not identify it as being possible for a couple reasons. In the past, we had (assessed) explosions from the pipeline to the GTE because it comes on shore to shallow water. Because it is so deep in the water, 800 meters or so, the gas export pipeline…any leak that would happen first of all would be detected quickly. It could make its way to the surface but because it’s so deep, the dispersion of the gas as it makes its way up would be diluted overtime and we didn’t identify it as possible to be an explosion at the surface.”
A review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by Kaieteur News found that the word ‘pipeline’ is mentioned at least 182 times in the document; be that as it may, the study fails to properly assess impacts associated with that element of the planned project. Of the 182 times the Consultant used the word ‘pipeline’ this newspaper only noted associated impacts explained twice. According to a table of the ‘modeled discharges and considered constituents for production, operations, and SURF hydrotesting’ ERM noted that commissioning fluids such as methanol and mono-ethylene glycol can be released from the gas export pipeline. That table also explains this may cause toxicity impacts on marine species. Another table discussing the summary of the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) states that marine mammals may be impacted by discharges and underwater sound disturbance during offshore pipeline construction. During the disclosure meeting, ERM pointed to another instance where it assessed disturbances from the pipeline to the seabed.
In its EIA previously conducted for the GTE pipeline, ERM detailed the possibility of an explosion occurring along the pipeline. It also outlined measures that will be put in place to mitigate and respond to any such event, given the likelihood of gas leaking from the structure.
About Hammerhead
In the Project Summary submitted by Exxon to the EPA, the company explained that the project is expected to add 120,000 to 180,000 barrels of oil per day production capacity. Production is expected to begin in 2029 subject to the necessary regulatory approvals and operate for at least 20 years. Exxon said Hammerhead will develop the offshore resource by drilling approximately 14 to 30 development wells (including production and water injection wells); installing and operating Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF) equipment; using an FPSO to process, store, and offload the recovered oil; and installing an approximately 13-kilometer gas export pipeline from the FPSO to a tie-in on the Gas to Energy Pipeline.
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- ERM Key focus: No risk of explosion at new gas pipeline for Hamme, explosion, gas, GTE, Hammerhead, pipeline
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