ExxonMobil Guyana will be moving to submit Environmental Management Plans for its proposed Exploration and Appraisal (E&A) Drilling Program that will see the company targeting 12 wells each across the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks.
The company had submitted an application for Environmental Authorisation to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the projects. In separate notices, the EPA said it has been determined that the projects will not significantly affect the environment or human health and are therefore exempt from the requirement of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“Notwithstanding this decision, in the interest of sound environmental management, the Agency will require the preparation and submission of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP),” the EPA said, with reference to both the proposed Canje and Kaieteur Block campaigns.
The EMP will assess any possible impacts on the environment and/or human health, and detail specific mitigation measures to be undertaken in order to ensure that the proposed projects are implemented in an environmentally-sound and sustainable manner.
The Agency said in keeping with the Environmental Protection Act, Cap.20:05, Laws of Guyana, and the Environmental Protection (Authorisations) Regulations, 2000, any person who may be affected by any of the proposed projects may lodge an appeal against the Agency’s decision (EIA not required) with the Environmental Assessment Board within thirty (30) days of the date of the publication of the notices.
The proposed drill campaigns will gather data on reservoir characteristics, hydrocarbon presence, pressure, and temperatures. If the presence of hydrocarbons is discovered, wells will be tested to establish the limits of the reservoir. Additionally, the productivity of wells and the oil or gas properties present will be tested.
These multi-well campaigns across the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks follow prospects already targeted on the two acreages. Exxon has spudded the Tanager-1 well on the Kaieteur Block and the Bulletwood-1, Jabillo-1 and Sapote-1 wells on the Canje Block, all of which delivered discoveries that were non-commercial as standalone developments.
So far, the only proven commercial wells discovered in the Guyana basin have been at the prolific Stabroek Block, where Exxon has made over 25 discoveries since 2015, amounting to more than 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
A recent discovery was made at the Corentyne Block by CGX Energy at the Kawa-1 well, but this prospect has since been plugged and abandoned with no clear indication of its commerciality as a standalone development.
