President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge believes that early capacity-building investments are paying dividends as seen in the growth of local content numbers in the local oil and gas industry. More than 4,400 Guyanese are currently supporting the company’s operations, representing some 64 per cent of the industry’s workforce.
“It speaks to the early commitments that we made around things like the Centre for Local Business Development starting in 2017, working with other organisations like the TVET schools, and the ministries to ensure that people are well-trained and available and able to contribute and play an important part in developing the nation’s resource,” Routledge said.
The company is also collaborating with the government to develop the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. The institution is intended to deliver world-class training and certification to Guyanese workers in five main skills areas: electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, process operations to support the oil and gas industry, as well as civil and building construction to support the broader economy.
Routledge noted that the money Guyana earns from oil sales and royalty payments is important for the government to be able to execute its works but added that the company’s near-term impact would be felt more in its investments. Since the first discovery in 2015 ExxonMobil Guyana and its contractors have spent more than GUY$140 billion with Guyanese suppliers.
“We will have a much bigger impact as we invest in the projects, as we build the business, through the development of local content and we’re able to give local businesses and people jobs and opportunities to grow, to develop skills and to be able to become competitive internationally.”
With nine discoveries announced in 2022 and a second project starting up in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana, he acknowledged that it has been a rewarding year for ExxonMobil Guyana.
“It’s all about the people; it starts with the ExxonMobil team but of course, we count on the whole team of teams, many contractors and other organisations including many government regulatory agencies.
It’s truly transformational. We’re very fortunate to have made a true success here in Guyana. But now that we are on that path, putting it all together, continuing that success, momentum, from exploration into the development and the projects is fundamental to setting up this business for the future,” Routledge expressed.
The president added that the company is fortunate to have a series of projects which allows it to take lessons learnt and improve on them for subsequent developments.
In addition to its spending on production, ExxonMobil Guyana said it has been a consistent contributor to community initiatives with a focus on STEM education, community building, women empowerment and protecting the environment. The company has to date spent more than GUY$2 billion on initiatives in these areas.
“We really want to play our part in the community and so we take our corporate social responsibility as seriously as we do our commitments to growing the business and delivering job opportunities for people.
And so, both as ExxonMobil ourselves and through our contribution budgets and the projects that we’ve embraced and of course the Greater Guyana Initiative, we are making some significant contributions to the community and to the development of the society and country,” Routledge highlighted.
The Greater Guyana Initiative is a 10-year, GUY$20 billion programme under which ExxonMobil Guyana and its Stabroek block co-venturers will fund capacity-building projects in keeping with the country’s overall development objectives.
The Payara project, the third in the Stabroek block, is expected to start up next year. Routledge said it was one of several undertakings that could provide more opportunities for success and development in Guyana.
“We’re drilling a number of exciting exploration wells and I look forward to the results of those, we have another major project start up with the Payara project coming before the end of the year, and of course many other projects and activities that continue to grow.”
