Citizens demand more from Exxon

Mar 21, 2025 News

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…call company’s sponsorship of cricket, other events handout

Kaieteur News- A student of the Leonora Technical Institute almost set the tone for ExxonMobil’s question and answer segment of a scoping meeting on Thursday, for the company’sCitizens demand more from Exxon eight proposed development in the Stabroek Block- Longtail.

The Longtail project seeks to develop the resources in Longtail, Tripletail and Turbot, with a startup date of 2030. The scoping session was held to engage the public on their specific concerns regarding the proposed development and field comments from citizens to guide the Terms of Reference for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that will be conducted for the project. In addition to representatives from ExxonMobil, officers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the consultant group, Acorn International were present at the Leonora meeting.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) plans to produce between 200 to 290 thousand barrels of oil per day, with non-associated gas production of between 1,000 to 1,500 million Standard Cubic Feet (MMscfd) per day at the planned deepwater development. This would make Longtail the largest project ever pursued by the company to date.

To this end, a student of the Leonora Technical Institute who attended the public scoping meeting for the project enquired about how this would increase earnings for the country. The young man, Noel Haynes specifically asked the ExxonMobil team whether the project would be profitable for the country and the company.

In addressing his concern, EMGL’s Projects Environmental and Regulatory Manager, Mariya Skocik explained that this would be a criterion. She said, “Project number eight is on the very early phases so all the studies that are being conducted now is to assess the best way to go forward with the project and being economically viable would be one of the criteria.”

Meanwhile, another citizen who attended the session shared his concern over the fact that Exxon has been more supportive of sporting tournaments such as the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL) instead of initiatives geared at social development. He said, “Looking at the infrastructure aspect of it because we just don’t want to say that Exxon is sponsoring an event. If we look at the commercialism aspect of it, it comes with infrastructure development and it comes with ownership…sponsorship comes with a limitation. It is not direct in terms of social development. It’s just a handout I would say.”

Consequently, he said, “I want to know if Exxon has any rolled-out plan…it is hard to know that companies coming to Guyana, making billions of dollars, yet still our young people at a strain, cannot use their God-given talent as a career to sustain them.”

For its part, ExxonMobil used the opportunity to highlights its Greater Guyana Initiative, which utilises profits made by the company to give back to various projects. Additionally, it was explained that the oil giant welcomes proposals from individuals and organizations which are vetted for potential funding.

Also highlighting his discontent with Exxon’s support for communities was the Chairman of the Klien Pouderoyen Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), who only gave his name as Balram.

He said, “Coming to these sessions that you have at this Technical Institute, I always ask what have you done for my community- nothing. I see you have cultural heritage, community health, the nine factors under social…what have you done? We need some help, we need some community enhancement in terms of our historical sites, assistance in certain areas of infrastructure so ExxonMobil can say yes, we are making money from Guyana but we are also returning.”

Exxon in response again highlighted the work of the Greater Guyana Initiative, pointing out that US$100M has been invested in the programme over a 10-year period. Citizens on the East Bank of Demerara will have an opportunity to participate in the scoping meetings at a session scheduled for today (Friday), commencing 16:30hrs (4:30 pm) at the New Diamond Grove Primary School, Diamond.

About Longtail

Like its other projects, Longtail will involve drilling of production and injection wells, installation, commissioning, and operations of Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF), and a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel (FPSO) for handling and offloading of produced hydrocarbons.

The proposed development is located in the southeastern portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 200 km from Georgetown and adjacent to previous Stabroek Projects. Exxon has indicated plans to use drill ships to produce the non-associated gas and condensate from approximately 24 – 60 production and injection wells. The subsea equipment will be installed at a depth of approximately 1,600 – 2,000 metres.

The proposed FPSO will be a newly built floating facility with double side and single bottom protection, with approximate dimensions of 334m long by 60 m wide by 32.8 m deep, and will be moored on location, approximately 200 km offshore, some 39 km southeast of the Liza Unity FPSO.

(Citizens demand more from Exxon)

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• community, ExxonMobil, Leonora, Longtail, scoping meeting

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