Exxon gears for new 12-well drilling campaign in Canje Block —EPA

Aug 11, 2021 News

…gets exemption from doing Environmental Impact Assessment

Kaieteur News – An application for Environmental Authorisation has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the following proposed project by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana spud a 12 Well Exploration and Appraisal (E&A) Drilling Programme, Canje Block, Offshore Guyana.

One of the drilling rigs employed by EEPGL.

This, according to a recent notice published by the EPA which noted that in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 20:05, Laws of Guyana, the application for the project has been screened by the Agency and that “the Agency determined that the project will not significantly affect the environment and is therefore, exempt from the requirement of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 20:05.”
It was noted however that, “this decision is in no way an indication of approval of the project.” The EPA in its notice did seek to point out that notwithstanding its decision, “in the interest of sound environmental management, the Agency will require the preparation and submission of an Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (EAMP) for the project.”
According to the EPA’s announcement, “the EAMP is intended to assess specific issues and impacts identified during screening and along with specific mitigation measures to ensure that the proposed project can be implemented in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner.”
In keeping with the Environmental Protection Act, Cap.20:05, Laws of Guyana, and the Environmental Protection (Authorisations) Regulations, 2000, “any person who may be affected by any of the proposed project may lodge an appeal against the Agency’s decision (EIA not required) with the Environmental Assessment Board within thirty (30) days of the date of the publication of this Notice.”
The publication was made public on Sunday last. ExxonMobil last year said it has identified considerable undrilled potential of more than 50 leads in the blocks it operates in Guyana’s offshore Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The oil major has announced plans to do more drilling in prospects targeted in the Kaieteur, Canje and Stabroek Blocks.
ExxonMobil currently operates offshore Guyana holding stakes in 11 million along with a number of partners making up the three consortia, which own the licences. The company in its exploration campaign in Guyana recently made a discovery in the Kaieteur Block, while drilling its first well there and deepest by far offshore Guyana.
In 2019, ExxonMobil relinquished a portion of the Canje Block under the terms of the exploration licence, reducing the size of the contract area from 6,100 square kilometers (sq. km.) to 4,800 sq. km. It is anticipated that with just over a dozen initial prospects identified for exploration in the Canje Block, it will yield some 10 billion barrels of oil.

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