Guyana Oil and Gas Support Services Inc. (GOGSSI) is the second local company to be recognized in as many days for providing fabrication services for the Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel being built by SBM Offshore for ExxonMobil’s third development at the Stabroek Block in Guyana.
GOGSSI is undertaking structural steel fabrication for ladders and handrails for the oil production vessel.
Together with Industrial Fabrications Inc. (InFab), this represents the first time such work is being undertaken by local companies for the FPSOs being built for the offshore oil production activities and demonstrates successful capacity building among local companies.
“Leveraging on local support in terms of talents, goods, and services will be instrumental in achieving excellent operation performances and having a reliable and high-quality local Supply Chain is a pre-requisite,” commented Francesco Prazzo, SBM Offshore’s General Manager in Guyana.
“This is another example of Guyanese suppliers seizing opportunities to shape the country of tomorrow and transitioning from traditional ways of working,” he added.
Major local content milestone for Guyana as FPSO fabrication work being done in country
The SBM Offshore official said the tendering process under which the two local companies were selected was conducted in strict compliance with internationally accepted procurement guidelines and principles that guarantee transparency and accountability.
“This is an important step for these companies and for local content in Guyana,” said Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana. “We are committed to local supplier growth, and we work closely with our prime contractors in Guyana to ensure they are equally committed to developing local content.”
The Centre for Local Business Development has been instrumental in local business competitiveness in the area of fabrication. Both InFab and GOGSSI participated in ISO9001 mentoring organized by CLBD, and the Centre’s supplier registration portal was used to advertise SBM Offshore fabrication opportunities along with Guyanese newspapers. Supplier clarification meetings during the Request for Information (RFI) process were hosted at the Centre and safety training for INFAB and GOGSSI was conducted by the Centre’s Guyanese Safety Officers.
Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Vickram Bharrat sent a congratulatory message to InFab and GOGSSI on their achievement.
“Our government remains committed to ensuring all Guyanese companies are adequately represented and benefit at all levels of the goods and services supply chain within the oil and gas sector. I would like to urge all our local companies to recommit their efforts to improve the quality and standards of their products and services within this sector to build capacity among our local companies,” the Minister said.
Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer said the work being carried out by the two local companies shows that Guyanese are being industrious and making a contribution to the oil and gas sector.
“The idea is that the workforce here at GOGSSI, the workforce at InFab share a commonality, a nationality. This is about Guyana. This is about Guyanese picking up those torches and being industrious in this oil and gas sector,” he said, describing the events as two halves of the first steel strike in Guyana.
Deygoo-Boyer, who is also a Director at GOGSSI said, “To me, this represents a combination of hard work, and a desire to learn and a desire to push the boundaries.”
Additionally, Deygoo-Boyer recognised ExxonMobill Guyana and SBM Offshore for their efforts to further develop their relationship with Guyana and increase their corporate presence in the country.
“I would like to recognize the efforts of the operator as well as the efforts of SBM [Offshore]…to increase their relationship with Guyana, to increase their foothold and presence in Guyana by doing more here,” Deygoo-Boyer said.
The Prosperity FPSO design is based on SBM Offshore’s industry leading Fast4Ward® program that incorporates the Company’s new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardized topsides modules. The vessel is being designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day.
