As ExxonMobil seeks to win approval for its fourth well development at Yellowtail, one of its senior officials told Monday’s information session at the Umana Yana that the company takes the environment seriously and even the spilling of a teaspoon of oil will be reported to the authorities.
In the question and answer segment, some members of the audience enquired about what systems would be in place to contain possible oil spills. ExxonMobil’s construction manager, Mike Ryan, responded that the company has been practicing its response strategy in different scenarios with the Civil Defence Commission.
Hall added that from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Yellowtail project, the company has placed emphasis on prevention and has a number of measures in place to address such issues.
Ryan in turn noted there have been frequent practice sessions in a bid to provide training to crew members both offshore and onshore to enable them to swiftly respond to any possible oil spill.
“Even if it is a teaspoon of oil we report it. We have trained our staff to respect the environment offshore… even if they see it on deck because it can get into the water,” Ryan assured.
While the EIA states that there will be minor effects on the environment with the operation of the Yellowtail project, marine life will be disturbed at the start of operations.
This disclosure was made by Jason Wiley of Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the company contracted to produce the EIA, as he presented a synopsis of the EIA. This is the Environmental Protection Agency’s first information session on the planned Yellowtail project, which is being developed by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).
The session was held at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, and is the first in a series of outreaches that will be hosted along the coast.
The EIA was submitted as a part of the company’s application to operate and it is required by law to engage the public for its input before consideration for environmental authorisation and licence.
Wiley, who spoke on the Base Line Studies and Biological Resources impact, told the gathering of about 40 persons that development of the well will cause some fish to relocate their habitat at the startup of operations.
He explained that the changes will force marine life to accommodate the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. These, he said, will have a minor effect on marine life and while some impacts may be temporary, throughout the life of the operations there will be disturbance to marine animals.
“…Marine fish impacts ranges from negligible to minor during planned activities. The most significant impact will be in changes to fish distribution around their habitat and the FPSO during drilling and installation…initially it will have minor significance”, Wiley said.
In this stage, surface temperatures are likely to increase and the total suspended solids and chemicals concentrations in the water column may increase for up 12 hours after drilling.
However, he stated that in order to mitigate the changes, the EIA recommends that the operators adhere to international standards of treatment for discharge. There should be regular inspection and maintenance and monitoring of effluents prior to discharge.
Wiley stressed further that in all stages of production, riverine mammals, namely manatees and otters, will be impacted as traffic in the Demerara River will increase by 2% to 4%. However, it was contended that the animals will be able to adapt to the changes.
In a bid to combat any drastic effects, the EIA recommended that since marine mammals are sensitive to noise and vibrations, vessels and helicopters, among others, should be monitored at all times to limit their sound effect.
The study which is based on research for approximately six years confirmed that at least 15 species of marine mammals have been confirmed in the Stabroek Block. Also, 1,345 marine mammal detections have been recorded.
It was also recommended that vessels slow down on approach to the harbour and awareness training be given to marine personnel.
According to Wiley, sea birds also stand to be impacted from the operations as the lights from the FPSO can be a distraction to their migratory routes. However, on the other hand, the placement of the FPSO can also be a positive for the birds as they may be able to rest during their migration and feed off of prey in the vicinity.
It was stated from the studies, which are the first of its kind to be done in Guyana that eight new species were documented. These include the Masked Booby and the Red-billed Tropicbird.
It is recommended that operators engage in dimming lights and treat and monitor effluents prior to discharge in other to mitigate changes to the environment.
Another ERM official, Todd Hall, in his presentation on “Physical resources and Unplanned Events” stated that “many of the impacts and risks identified were negligible or minor on the lower end of the scale or had no significance while there were a few impacts or risk of higher significance…”
Air pollution
He explained that during the scoping event many commented on the issue of air pollution and its impact on air quality which they sought to focus on during the EIA.
Hall noted that over a period of a year air pollution concentration offshore was measured at three different locations. He stated that activities 200km offshore to shore were computer modelled.
“…The modelling showed that by the time those emissions make it to shore, which takes several hours by the speed of the wind, all of the pollutants will be at levels well below guidelines established by the World Health Organisation and the United States EPA to protect human health,” he informed, before adding that this is finding is due to the distance between operations and shore and the 40 different management measures to reduce emissions from the onset, several of which are intended to reduce flaring.
On the issue of climate change, Hall said that with the project being a contributor to greenhouse gases, the EIA team has to assess the measures the project will put in place to reduce those harmful emissions.
“…37 measures [serving to reduce polluting] emissions will serve to reduce greenhouse gases. In total, the way the project is designed and will be operated will reduce greenhouse gases by over 80 per cent so it is a significant reduction based on the design,” he underscored.
The greatest reducer of greenhouse gases will be from reinjection of the gas rather than flaring. Hall explained that the project includes on-board spare equipment installed from the start on the FPSO to reduce the amount of flaring that is likely to occur from time to time especially during maintenance activities.
The consultants who prepared the EIA and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project have recommended that national authorities consider embedded controls, mitigation measures, management plans, and oil spill preparedness, as conditions for issuing an environmental authorisation for the project, which they expect to pose only minor risks to Guyana’s environmental and socioeconomic resources, while potentially offering significant economic benefits to the citizenry.
They agreed that multiple controls have been embedded into the project design to prevent a spill from occurring, and that a large spill that affects the Guyana coastline and/or other regional coastlines is “unlikely.” However, they said that “given the sensitivity of many of the resources that could potentially be impacted by a spill (e.g., Shell Beach Protected Area; marine mammals; critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable marine turtles; and Amerindian, fishing, and other communities reliant on ecosystem services for sustenance and their livelihood), we believe it is critical that EEPGL commit to regular oil spill response drills, simulations, and exercises – and involve appropriate Guyanese authorities and stakeholders in these activities, document the availability of appropriate response equipment on board [the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading platform] , and demonstrate that offsite equipment could be mobilized for a timely response.”
The project will consist of the drilling of approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines equipment; installation and operation of a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and project decommissioning.
Other information sessions are scheduled for October 27 at the Anna Regina Town Hall, Anna Regina, from 9 am to 11 am; October 29 at Flavio’s Hall, Santa Rosa, Region One, from 10 am to midday; November 1 from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Leonora Technical Institute, Leonora, West Coast Demerara; November 2 from 10 am to midday at the Mahaicony Technical Institute, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara; November 2nd from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Primary School, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice; November 3rd from 8 am to 10 am at the Number 66 Fishport Complex, Number 66 Village, Corentyne, Berbice; and on November 5 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Regional Democratic Council’s boardroom, Mabaruma, Region One.
Initial production is expected to begin by end of 2025 – early 2026, with operations continuing for at least 20 years. The project is expected to employ up to 540 persons during development well drilling, approximately 600 persons at the peak of the installation stage, and 100 to 140 persons during production operations.
ExxonMobil and the Environmental Protection Agency have come under increasing public scrutiny over the procedures associated with the approval of environment permits for oil wells.
