Once largely associated with the construction of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, fabrication has emerged as an area where Guyanese businesses are capitalizing on opportunities within the oil and gas supply chain.
Rather than competing only for one-time construction contracts, local fabricators are demonstrating their readiness to support maintenance, repairs, upgrades, modifications, and replacement component needs for projects led by oil companies such as ExxonMobil Guyana.
The U.S. oil major has already indicated that the industry is entering a new phase of development, and Guyanese businesses can play a greater role as it utilizes existing local capabilities.
“Let me be clear, our ambition is to close the entire loop right here in Guyana… We see a future where local companies play a leading role across the entire fabrication value chain, from manufacturing to offshore installation, fully integrated into the industry’s long-term presence and growth right here in Guyana,” the company’s Production Manager Huzefa Ali said on June 9.
The opportunity is extending beyond ExxonMobil.
MODEC, which will operate Guyana’s Errea Wittu FPSO, has sought local fabrication services for its upcoming projects, signaling that international contractors are also looking to source more work in-country.
SBM Offshore has also continued to engage Guyanese companies for fabrication services linked to ExxonMobil’s offshore developments, with local suppliers supporting structural steel fabrication work for the Prosperity, ONE GUYANA, and Jaguar FPSOs.
Local companies are responding by investing in long-term capability rather than individual contracts.
Carla Crawford, Director and Co-Owner of Friedlander Guyana, has said the company’s goal is to keep more fabrication work in-country instead of sending it overseas. Building local capability, she has noted, is central to expanding Guyanese participation in the sector while strengthening the country’s industrial base.
There are already signs that Guyanese fabricators can meet international expectations.
Friedlander Guyana’s fabrication team recently completed high-level work for an FPSO project without recording a single defect or safety incident, demonstrating that local companies can deliver complex fabrication while meeting the quality and health, safety and environmental standards required by international operators.
