With ExxonMobil gearing to develop 10 oil projects in the Stabroek Block within this decade, one of the key support services it will need is storage facility onshore. Acutely aware of this, former head of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Owen Verwey is setting the stage to ensure he is able to participate in the supply chain with the establishment of a sprawling storage facility. The entrepreneur recently submitted his project summary to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in hopes of having its blessings to move forward with the $115M investment.
According to the documents seen by this news agency, the developer applied to the agency for an Environmental Authorisation to construct and operate a Non-Hazardous Material Storage Facility for the purposes of the storage of imported equipment, parts and tools which will be transferred to offshore Oil and Gas Operations.
The site for the facility is located at Block “W1” Plantation Houston. It is an area of 1.6 Acres as recorded by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) on Plan No. 65446. The land was previously used for cane cultivation and is accessed by the McDoom road, opposite Gafoors Complex and bordered by Muneshwers Container Yard on the East and North. The West boundary according to GL&SC is a 13 feet reserve for access to GPL high power lines but is currently occupied by squatters blocking access. The proposed land use will see most of the land as open space except for work accommodation structure, 2 X 4ft container offices and security huts.
As a Laydown / Open Storage Yard, Verwey said there are no production processes. Construction he said involves spreading sand clay (loom) and crusher run gravel on top of compacted sand. The businessman said that the site is already fenced and has a perimeter drain.
Furthermore, the project which involves an investment of over $115 million to prepare the site for operations will employ between 3 to 12 employees during operations. These will include a combination of Health and Safety staff, lifting equipment operators, labourers, security, and administrative staff.
Guyana Standard also understands that the project involves receiving and storing in open space: – vehicles, heavy equipment, machines, and associated accessories and, Pipes, including High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) and Steel pipes, and associated components and fittings.
Verwey was keen to note that the main environmental concern of the operation is the noise that will be generated from the transportation of vehicles and the equipment, tools and parts being packed. He assured that there will be no effluent discharge or air emissions originating from the Project.
He stated too that a Full Zoning Approval from the Central Housing and Planning Authority has been acquired for the project.
