UK firm secures subsea pre-commissioning contract for Exxon’s Whiptail Project

Jan 15, 2026 News

…Georgetown facility to be established

(Kaieteur News) – United Kingdom-based energy services company EnerMech has been awarded a contract to carry out subsea pre-commissioning works for ExxonMobil Guyana Limited’s sixth oil development offshore Guyana – the Whiptail project.

EnerMech disclosed in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday that it was hired by Italian firm Saipem which had secured a contract in late 2023 for works on the US$12.9 billion project, located in the Stabroek Block.

Under the agreement, EnerMech will provide subsea pre-commissioning services, including flooding, cleaning and hydrotesting of subsea infrastructure, umbilical monitoring and post-installation testing.

UK company for subsea pre-commissioning of Exxon’s Whiptail project

Stabroek Block

Notably, EnerMech also signalled continued investment in Guyana, noting plans to establish a new facility in Georgetown and deploy advanced equipment to support offshore energy operations, allowing for faster mobilisation and improved operational efficiency.

EnerMech Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Charles Davison, Jr said, “This latest award for our Energy Solutions team is another important milestone in our Guyana growth story. It underscores the trust that leading offshore contractors like Saipem continue to place in our people, technology and track record.”

ExxonMobil Guyana in November 2023 awarded Saipem the main contract for the Whiptail Development. That contract had formed part of two offshore awards announced by Saipem for projects in Guyana and Brazil, together valued at approximately US$1.9 billion.

Saipem’s scope of work for Whiptail includes the design, fabrication and installation of subsea structures, risers, flowlines and umbilicals in water depths of about 2,000 metres. The company had said it will utilise specialised vessels, including FDS2, Constellation and Castorone, while fabrication support is to be provided through its Guyana Offshore Construction Facility at the Port of Georgetown.

Moreover, EnerMech highlighted that the Whiptail award represents its fifth pre-commissioning scope in Guyana, following work on the Liza Phase Two, Payara, Yellowtail and Uaru developments.

Currently, there are four developments producing oil from the Stabroek Block: Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, Payara and Yellowtail. The fourth project, Yellowtail achieved first oil in August 2025 and has brought the Stabroek Block’s daily oil production to 900,000 barrels with the Yellowtail Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel reaching its initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day (bpd).

In addition to the four projects currently producing, Exxon has three others sanctioned Uaru, Whiptail, and Hammerhead. The Uaru and Whiptail projects Guyana’s fifth and sixth developments are each expected to produce approximately 250,000 bpd, with start-up targeted for 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Hammerhead project, the seventh development which received government approval back in September 2025 is expected to add around 150,000 bpd when it begins production in 2029. Additionally, Exxon has filed an application for an eighth development, Longtail, which is currently undergoing regulatory review.

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’s Whiptail project, EnerMech, Exxon, oil, subsea

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