Guyana has reduced the time needed to respond to a potential offshore well blowout by as much as five days through the in-country placement of a capping stack, a critical piece of emergency response equipment used to contain uncontrolled releases from subsea wells.
The improved response capability was demonstrated on June 16 during a visit by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat to the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc. facility, where ExxonMobil Guyana conducted a practical offshore oil spill response exercise near the Sea Buoy Anchorage.
Guyana showcases oil spill readiness during drill at Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase | OilNOW
“With this capping stack being in Guyana, to mobilize and transport it offshore would probably take two to three days maximum. So there is a massive reduction in time in responding to an unlikely god forbid that we don’t have to at any point in time in our history, the unlikely event of a well blowout offshore,” the Minister said.
The capping stack forms part of Guyana’s offshore emergency response framework and is required under environmental permits for developments including Yellowtail. It can be installed over a damaged well if a blowout preventer fails, either fully shutting in the well or enabling controlled flow and containment while longer-term intervention measures are implemented.
Fact Sheet: Guyana’s Capping Stack | OilNOW
The capping stack was originally stored at the Guyana Shore Base Inc. Houston facility after it arrived in Guyana in 2024, but was recently moved to the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase on the West Bank of Demerara. The equipment is owned and managed by Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL). It is available to ExxonMobil Guyana through its membership in the organization.
The Natural Resources Minister explained that prior to the equipment being stationed in Guyana, the country relied on a unit based in Houston, Texas, which required significantly more time to mobilize and transport to the Stabroek Block.
Guyana is now one of only two countries in the region with Capping Stack service | OilNOW
“If you look at the time frame in mobilizing and transporting a capping stack or any piece of equipment from Houston to the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana in comparison with the mobilization and transportation of a capping stack from Port Georgetown to the Stabroek Block, we are speaking about days less. For example, to transport from Houston to the Stabroek Block will probably take about one week,” he explained.
Production in the Stabroek Block exceeded 900,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026, supported by operations at the Liza 1, Liza 2, Payara, and Yellowtail developments.
ExxonMobil operates the Stabroek Block with a 45% interest. Hess holds 30% and CNOOC holds 25%.
