The technical and legal teams from the Department of Energy remain in talks with ExxonMobil on the proposed agreement for the Payara Field Development Plan, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat told Stabroek News last night.
He said he remains hopeful that an agreement can be signed shortly.
According to Bharrat, with the draft licence agreement in place they have to go through the “mediation period” as they seek to iron out environmental concerns surrounding gas flaring and dumping of waste water.
He said that President Irfaan Ali has directed the team from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to not make any compromises on matters that will have a negative impact on the environment.
“We have a team from the EPA that is fully capable of doing the work. It was never (Executive Director) Dr (Vincent) Adams alone reviewing the application…It was always a team,” Bharrat said when asked if the Executive Director not being present during discussions will have an impact on the review.
Adams was asked to proceed on administrative leave in the midst of the review of ExxonMobil’s Payara well application. This decision caused consternation in some circles.
Bharrat is scheduled to receive a briefing on the progress made to date from the technical and legal teams during the course of today.
The current review team is comprised of technical persons including international consultant Canadian Queen’s Counsel Alison Redford but once their work is completed it will be forwarded to his office then to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and President Ali, Bharrat recently told this newspaper.
Government announced last month that a review of the Payara Field Development Plan was initiated by the Department of Energy, which contracted Bayphase Oil and Gas Consultants at a sum of US$386,830 in December 27, 2019.
The ministry had said that the new PPP/C government has decided to review the work already undertaken by the Department of Energy so that the interests of all Guyanese are protected and in keeping with international transparency and accountability standards prior to approval being given.
