Exxon now conducting minimal flaring necessary for stable, safe operations

Intermitted periods of flaring by ExxonMobil since December 2019 have now been reduced to only background flaring on the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessel.

The U.S oil giant and its partners earlier this month delivered, installed and safely started the new flash gas compressor as promised.

The new device replaces the faulty one that will now be fixed and used as a spare.

ExxonMobil had been heavily criticised for the significant flaring that occurred in recent months but the company also had to pay the Environmental Protection Agency US$10 million for the excess Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emitted.

The company’s Vice President and Production Manager Mike Ryan engaged the media on Tuesday from Exxon’s Duke Street, Georgetown Headquarters.

Beyond meeting the expectation, he said this was a remarkable accomplishment for which several persons including the SBM offshore and MAN Energy Solutions must take credit.

They bore the cost for replacing the compressor as the contractors who fabricated the FPSO and procured and installed the gas compressor.

“So, we are doing an endurance run and we will run it over the next couple of months and monitor every aspect… we will bring the old one back to Germany and after we will use it as a full spare.

“As far as flaring we were always in full compliance with our permit and regulations,” Ryan said.

Ryan said the journey to this point was “challenging”; a test that was countered with relentless pursuit.

The current background flaring is minimal to ensure stable and safe operations. Soon the gas will be piped to shore to support the government’s energy aspirations.

Now with background flaring only, the Exxon Vice President said operations on the FPSO were moving smoothly, so much so that there has not been a recorded injury in the last 1, 000 days.

“We always look for ways to test it and get the true value within the design of the facility,” Ryan added.

In addition to work on the compressor, the company has also done some production optimising and is now producing 140 barrels of oil per day on the Liza Destiny FPSO, above its regional target.

A similar experience is being recorded on the country’s second FPSO – Liza Unity.

A third FPSO will arrive in Guyana in 2023, further ramping up oil production.