ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has filed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its sixth project called Whiptail, estimated to cost US$12.9 billion.
The project will consist of drilling approximately 33 to 72 development wells (including production and water/gas injection wells), installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF) equipment; installation and operation of a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel; and ultimately, project decommissioning.
The FPSO will be designed to accommodate an annual average capacity of 300,000 barrels of oil per day (BPD). It will also be capable of storing approximately 2 million bbl (320,000 m3) of stabilized crude oil.
Onshore logistical support facilities and marine/aviation services will be used to support each stage of the project. While much of the installation and production operations activity will be offshore, the project will also use onshore infrastructure, including, but not limited to, shorebases, warehouses, storage and pipe yards, fabrication facilities, fuel supply facilities, and waste management facilities in Guyana.
The EIA states that such infrastructure will be used to support drilling, installation, production, and decommissioning operations. Additional logistical support may be provided by others outside of Guyana, as determined by the Project.
A preliminary schedule anticipates that FPSO and SURF fabrication and installation will begin in early 2026 following the completion of engineering and will take approximately two years. Development well drilling may also occur during this period.3 Production operations are expected to begin in late 2027 or 2028 and will continue for at least 20 years. The Project schedule and timeline will continue to be refined and are subject to change
The project is expected to employ up to a peak of 540 people during the drilling and installation stage and from 100 to 180 people during the production operations stage.
The document also notes that all EEPGL activities and operations will be designed and conducted in alignment with good international industry practice and with numerous embedded controls incorporated to minimize environmental and social impacts.
Citizens now have 60 days which started August 20 to review the document and make written submissions for consideration.
