Environmental data have been collected offshore Guyana and studied since 2014 and reports have been compiled describing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sediment and the water column to document baseline conditions, particularly in the Stabroek Block. These results were included in the publicly available Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
In documents submitted by ExxonMobil Guyana to the Environmental Protection Agency for a multi-well campaign at the Kaieteur Block, the company said it has collected a substantial body of physical, biological, and socioeconomic data over the course of the last four years including ongoing environmental baseline data within the Kaieteur Block.
“Recently acquired baseline data relates to air quality, coastal and oceanic habitat (specifically related to marine sediments), marine water quality, marine mammals, marine reptiles, seabirds, benthic resources, marine finfish, and navigation and marine infrastructure,” ExxonMobil stated in its submission.
The studies were designed to estimate the variability of and relationships between key physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the surficial marine sediments and water quality within their respective study areas.
The 2014 Environmental Baseline Survey (EBS) collected sediment samples from 10 sampling stations, and measured Total Organic Carbon (TOC), metals, and hydrocarbon concentrations in marine sediment. The 2014 EBS study found low concentrations of TOC and metals concentrations that were near background concentrations documented for the upper continental crust. It also found low level concentrations of specific types of hydrocarbons that are indicative of a biogenic or natural origin.
“With the preparation and completion of the EIAs and the supporting EBSs and studies that have been conducted since the approval of the current existing multi-well authorization, the overall knowledge and understanding of the Guyana coast habitats and marine environment has increased substantially over the past 5 years,” ExxonMobil said.
The 2017 EBS average concentrations and ranges of concentrations for all metals were comparable to those observed during the 2014 and 2016 surveys. A comparison of the 2017 arsenic data to the 2016 data indicated that seven of the ten detected values of 2017 were consistent with the background levels recorded in 2016. The observed variation in total arsenic concentrations at most of the 2017 sampling stations was determined to likely reflect natural background concentrations associated with variation in sediment geochemistry.
The 2016 EBS was designed to increase this coverage to the broader region as well as provide further detail within the Liza area; sediment samples from 25 sampling stations were collected. The 2017 EBS collected sediment samples from 10 additional sampling stations. The 2016 and 2017 EBS results were generally consistent with the 2014 study results with respect to TOC and hydrocarbons, but the 2016 survey documented higher concentrations of metals across the wider study area than were documented in 2014.
The 2016 report provided several possible reasons for this discrepancy including different acids used by the 2014 and 2016 laboratories for extraction, greater variability in the data set due to the significantly larger sample area covered by the 2016 investigation compared to the 2014 investigation, and contribution from terrestrial runoff contaminated from mining or other industries, as carried to the Guyana basin via riverine inputs from Brazil and the Guiana Shield.
ExxonMobil recently submitted an application for environmental authorization to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to proceed with a 12 well exploration campaign on the Kaieteur Block. The company has already applied to the EPA for authorisation to conduct a similar campaign on the Canje Block.
Exxon targeting 2022 start-up for major 12-well campaign at Canje Block
As it relates to the Canje Block campaign, the regulator had said based on its assessment, the project will not significantly affect the environment and is therefore exempt from the requirement of an EIA, in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 20:05. A public hearing related to this has since been scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2021, at 14:00h at the EPA’s, Ganges Street, Sophia, Georgetown headquarters.
