Exxon now needs its own dumpsite, Guyana to foot the bill

Feb 05, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – With plans already in place to welcome ‘Prosperity’—Guyana’s third floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel—ExxonMobil Corporation’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has indicated that it will need its own dumpsite to ensure proper waste management.

Just last week, the Exxon affiliate issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking to understand the number of suppliers capable and interested in conducting a screening-level study of industrial landfill opportunities in Guyana. The study is intended to further develop EEPGL’s long-term waste management strategy.

At present, EEPGL said the Haags Bosch Landfill (HBL) is the only engineered landfill in Guyana for the disposal of municipal solid waste and non-hazardous commercial/industrial waste.

Against this backdrop, EEPGL said consideration is being given to performing a screening-level identification and assessment study of potential opportunities to develop a dedicated industrial waste disposal facility in Guyana for non-biodegradable (no landfill gas), non-hazardous waste only.

EEPGL said the main purpose of such a facility would be to support the growing waste disposal needs of its offshore activities. Identified opportunities, if feasible in light of technical considerations, socioeconomic factors, cost, and required Government approvals, may potentially be funded by private investor(s) and may be privately operated, EEPGL said in the RFI.

Furthermore, EEPGL said suppliers must demonstrate that they have the expertise and capacity necessary to provide a screening-level assessment of current and future landfill opportunities for EEPGL industrial waste in Guyana.

It said key elements of the screening-level assessment would include: developing a succinct summary of the existing (current)landfill infrastructure in Guyana; and estimating future landfill disposal capacity needs for EEPGL’s industrial solid wastes(non-hazardous, non-biodegradable)extending up to 20 years into the future. It would also include summarizing options for addressing the estimated EEPGL industrial waste disposal needs (non-hazardous, non-biodegradable), including construction waste and debris, in both the near term (one to three years) and long term (three-20 years).

Other tasks and considerations to meet these key elements would include the identification of potential sites for an industrial landfill development. EEPGL said this would include engagement with major stakeholders such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess practical suitability of the proposed locations and potential for Government buy-in.

The subsidiary also said that companies must also demonstrate their ability to assess challenges for the identified opportunities (e.g., road access or other infrastructure challenges, competing land uses, etc.).

They must also identify Best Industry Standards for an industrial landfill design, including, for example, lining, leachate system, and monitoring wells.

The significant increase of waste and the need for proper management is also highlighted in EEPGL’s Cradle to the Grave Waste Management Analysis which was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year.

According to the document, “EEPGL’s use of drilling fluids and LMP (liquid mud plants) operations are expected to increase substantially during the 2021–2023 time period, given that six drillships may be potentially operating concurrently.”

Exxon’s partner in the Stabroek Block, Hess Corporation recently revealed that three of these ships are dedicated to development works while the others are poised to continue an aggressive exploration programme. This newspaper recently reported that 10 wells are being drilled this year by the Exxon-led group.

Given the nature of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement, all initiatives pursued by Exxon to support the Stabroek Block operations is subject to cost recovery. It therefore means that Guyana’s oil will be used to cover the costs of this proposed dumpsite.

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Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), floating, Haags Bosch Landfill (HBL), production, storage and offloading (FPSO)

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