One of the newest Oil and Gas (O&G) support companies to enter Guyana’s petroleum industry is Sustainable Environmental Solutions Inc. (SES), made possible through a joint venture agreement between Finnish company, Corena Group Integrated Environmental Solutions, and local companies, Gaico Construction and General Services and the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated (GYSBI).
With an investment of US$10 million, the SES consortium is set to manage hazardous and non-hazardous waste produced by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), the operator of Guyana’s Stabroek Block.
SES outlined too that its facility will also be able to process drill cuttings, thereby recovering large amounts of base oil that can be recycled by various mud plants countrywide.
During the launching ceremony held at Duke Lodge on Tuesday night, Coren Group Partner and Director of SES, Paul Roach, detailed that the company has worked along closely with ExxonMobil Guyana to design a waste management facility that meets its operational requirements at present and for future developments.
Roach explained that SES has signed a 10-year operating contract with ExxonMobil, while noting that the company is prepared for what lies ahead.
He pointed out that in the changing world of waste, it is also considered a “resource” and as such, the company aims to design solutions that can identify, receive, treat, and ultimately convert those valuable resources into products and services.
“That is our ultimate goal,” the SES Director told those gathered.
The company’s facility is currently under construction and sits on an 8,000 square metre block within GYSBI.
“What we’re building is truly integrated in its design and will be able to deal with both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, as they are generally defined,” he said.
Major consideration was also given to the location of the facility in efforts to minimize major traffic movement along the East Bank highways.
“So, we’re 50 metres from the wharf and waste generated off all offshore assets will be delivered to the facility,” Roach added.
Furthermore, the SES Director touched on local content and was keen to point out that Guyana should try to source services “in our own backyard” before exporting the demand, as has been done in the past.
Delivering the feature address was Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh. The commencement of SES’s operations, he stated, represents the manifestation of a significant development, which translates to the provision of jobs for Guyanese. He was also keen to note that the company plans to employ and train 40 locals once operational.
Dr. Singh also said, “I think it is extremely commendable that Guyanese companies spotted an opportunity to innovate, to enter a space where Guyanese companies usually do not enter, and to seek out the credible international partner to provide them with the skills they did not have and eventually land a multi-million-dollar contract with Exxon.”
Dr. Singh made it clear that government takes Guyana’s environmental credentials “seriously” while adding that any project or initiative geared towards more sustainable environmental practices will be welcomed.
