Gov’t finally directs media to website with oil production data

Aug 23, 2022 News

By Davina Bagot

Kaieteur News – Amid pressure from transparency activists on the release of data relating to oil production here, the Ministry of Natural Resources has made it clear that an existing portal is in place that publishes the quantity of oil produced.

A chart on the Ministry of Natural Resources portal displaying the number of barrels produced per day at the two current operations.

The graph used by the Ministry to show the amount of gas that was flared, used and re-injected.

A graph depicting the reported daily amount of water produced and re-injected

Minister Vickram Bharrat who is responsible for the sector, during an interview with Kaieteur News on Sunday, had promised to have his staff share the reports. Yesterday, a link to the website was shared with this publication. It was explained too that the portal was launched in the first quarter of 2021 under the Petroleum Management Programme. This was not known to the media and other stakeholders.

Notably, the website offers data regarding the number of barrels produced at the Liza One and Liza Two operations in the Stabroek Block, as well as the daily reported injected gas, flared gas and gas used for fuel. It also gives an overview on the Brent Crude prices and the amount of water produced and injected.

Produced water is highly toxic and the local regulations stipulate that it should be treated before being returned to the sea. To this end, environmental and transparency activists have been relentlessly stressing the need for such data to be shared with the public and more so, be updated in a timely fashion to avoid altering of information.

Former Executive Member of the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI), Mr. Alfred Bhulai for example, had requested data over a year ago that was never provided. Bhulai, a former University of Guyana (UG) Lecturer, who holds a degree in Applied Chemistry and Engineering, explained that Guyanese are paying for the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels operating in the Stabroek Block but are completely unaware of what value they are getting for their dollars, as information pertaining to the levels of production among others, are not readily available for public scrutiny.

While serving as a member of the Transparency Institute, Bhulai noted that the body was seeking continuous data on production, storage, and offloading of oil and water, and on the reinjection of water and gas, which are the business of the FPSOs, being paid for by Guyana.

Additionally, TIGI was seeking production quantities, since oil, gas and associated substances can endanger the environment for Guyana and the Caribbean, he said, adding that as responsible business owners, we must not only assess the danger but also prepare for it. Similarly, the former EPA head, Dr. Vincent Adams reasoned in a letter earlier this month, that since the EPA seems to be making strides towards becoming transparent, it would be prudent for the agency to provide the Guyanese public with monthly data on the exploitation of its oil resource.

For instance, he noted that monthly reports on the amount of oil produced, the amount of water produced, sea water injected and the total amount of produced water being dumped into the sea should be made public. Further, Dr. Adams said that citizens also deserve to know the amount of gas produced, re-injected, and used for other purposes on the two Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessels, currently in operation. Meanwhile, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at a Press Conference on Friday was again asked about the production reports when he appeared appalled at the fact that these reports are yet to be made public. It was the Kaieteur News publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall who followed up with him on his promise made since February 8, 2021, when he said he is not sure why the reports have not been made public.

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