Exxon burns over 360 million cubic feet of gas in one month

Jul 12, 2020 News

– will continue to pollute the atmosphere with hundreds of cancer causing toxins well into August

By Kiana Wilburg

For last month alone, American oil giant, ExxonMobil, burnt over 360 million cubic feet of gas thereby polluting Guyana’s atmosphere with hundreds of cancer-causing toxins.

EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

Based on recent indications by Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Head, Dr. Vincent Adams, it appears that this trend of causing alarming damage to the nation’s environment will continue well into August.
The EPA Director told this newspaper yesterday that the oil giant has been burning approximately 12 million cubic feet of gas per day since May.
He revealed as well that it was only a few days ago ExxonMobil was able to get a key piece of the Liza Destiny’s gas compressor system into Germany to be fixed. Dr. Adams said that the equipment is expected to return by month end and once installation is done, ExxonMobil should bring an end to flaring by mid-August. ExxonMobil had blamed the technical issues for the flaring.
The EPA Head said that until such time, the oil giant will continue to burn 12 million cubic feet of gas per day.
Dr. Adams said he has made it clear to the operator of the Stabroek Block that it has to stay within that target. He said, too, that steps have been initiated to tighten the loopholes in the company’s permit which allowed it to flare in the first place. In an invited comment, ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud reminded that the company has cut crude oil production on the Liza Destiny FPSO to reduce the amount of gas being flared. Kaieteur News understands from Dr. Adams that the company is still hovering around 80,000 barrels of oil per day.
Persaud was keen to note that some gas compression equipment is being repaired abroad while adding that ExxonMobil anticipates its arrival in the coming weeks so as to safely complete final commissioning of the gas handling system. She said, too, that key specialist technicians required to repair the equipment have been mobilized.
TOXIC EFFECTS
According to a special study conducted by the World Bank, flaring releases gases that are not only harmful to one’s health but also disastrous to the climate. According to the report that was perused by this newspaper, flaring releases more than 250 toxins including cancer causing agents such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS), and toluene. It also releases metals such as mercury, arsenic, and chromium and nitrogen oxides.
Another study that was conducted by the Suez University in Egypt agrees with the findings of the World Bank Group, while adding that flaring is a significant contributor of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.
When released into the atmosphere, these gases trap heat to a significant degree. The University’s Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering was keen to note that flaring is also considered to be extremely harmful to the environment since it releases methane which has about 25 times greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide.
Other pollutants such as sulfur oxides (SOx) and volatile organic components (VOC) are also released from flaring. These are considered major causes of acid rain and fog which harm the natural environment and human life. Taking these and other harmful environmental effects into consideration, nations such as Guyana are urged to limit and/or prohibit flaring. (SEE LINKS FOR STUDIES: http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2016/ph240/miller1/docs/emam.pdf; AND http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/193801468779650307/pdf/295520Flared0G1on0Strategy01public1.pdf)