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Exxon refuses to tell Guyanese cost of Ogle HQ being paid for with country’s oil
…says company only shares “appropriate” information
(Kaieteur News) – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has relocated its operations to a spanking new three-story building it now calls its Headquarters (HQ) which sits on a massive 15-acre plot at Ogle, overseeing the new Highway. The company moved in over 500 employees to the facility being paid for by Guyana but is reluctant to disclose the price tag.
In fact, the company made it clear that it would only disclose information it deems “appropriate”.
ExxonMobil’s Ogle HQ is being funded by Guyana’s oil.
The company’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling was asked to provide the nation with the cost of the HQ which the company moved into since February 2025. Instead of stating the cost, Colling directed the media to the company’s financials for 2025, where he explained that an “approximate” figure could be viewed and calculated.
“The cost of this facility is included in our financial statements. You’ll see them on page 11. It’s included as additions to plant property and equipment under buildings and vehicles for 2025…however this building represents the bulk of that cost,” Exxon’s Vice President casually said.
He added that the figure represented was “a little over GY$20B” but only covers Exxon’s 45% interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess holds 30%, while CNOOC controls the remaining 25% share.
In response to his explanation, Kaieteur News insisted that the country needs to know the final cost of the facility rather than a proportionate figure that includes other costs.
“What we want is the cost of the facility, not per partner or included with vehicle costs- the overall cost of the structure,” a senior reporter urged.
Exxon’s VP and Business Services Manager, John Colling
To this end, Colling added, “Correct and you can largely estimate that based on what we’ve disclosed in our footnote to our financial statements.”
When asked bluntly why the company was reluctant to share the cost of the HQ, the VP explained, “We ultimately share a level of detail that we think is appropriate under IFRS there is a lot of detail in there and that includes I would say a very close approximation of the cost of this facility.”
In November 2025 Exxon disclosed that its operations were in full swing following the relocation from its cramped former Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown office.
When asked about the cost of the HQ at that time, Exxon’s Country Manager Alistair Routledge said, “We are in the process of finalising the spend as we closeout the project, but the final number will not be available until early next year. However, we expect that the final cost will be consistent with what we budgeted and communicated to the government.”
It was previously reported that the cost of the facility questionably jumped from just around US$50 million to US$160 million even though the design of the structure remained the same. Concerns were raised by the then Shadow Natural Resources Minister, David Patterson.
The former Minister of Public Infrastructure argued: “In 2020, the project was under US$52 million or thereabout in total. It’s now US$160. Nothing has changed. They are still building; I checked my records and I found the write up. It’s the same 500 persons will be housed there. They haven’t added on an extra floor, they haven’t added on an extra building, it’s the same thing and he (VP Bharrat Jagdeo) simply allows Exxon to say they are now going to spend US$160 million on a headquarters and he defends it and says the circumstances have changed.”
President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge told members of the media at a press conference back in February 2023 that the US$160 million office complex would be recovered out of cost oil, meaning Guyana will foot the expenses to construct its local headquarters.
Since the building was completed however, the company has not revealed the final price tag of the facility.
A contract was awarded to NABI/KCL Oilfield Construction Services Guyana in 2019 for the construction of the HQ at Ogle, built on a 15-acre plot. According to a Request for Information issued by ExxonMobil Guyana, the scope of works include construction of two buildings; an outdoor pavilion; paving; landscaping; fill and storm drainage; site utilities; plumbing utilities; and electrical works.
During a media tour of the facility on October 13, 2025, Exxon showed off selected parts of the building and prohibited journalists from capturing certain sections of the facility, like its new command center that is used to monitor the oil and gas operations in the Stabroek Block.
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Guyana is submitting to financial RAPE by the oil companies, corruption is likely rampant within the politicians who are overseeing these projects for petty bribes.