German engineering company MAN Energy Solutions says there is no linkage between technical issues encountered with the flash gas compressor on the Liza Destiny FPSO, and production optimization activities that were ongoing at the time the challenges were encountered.
ExxonMobil Guyana said in an update on Wednesday that repairs were ongoing, and upgrades were being made to the compressor which encountered issues on the night of January 27 on the oil production vessel.
“MAN Energy has confirmed there is no linkage between the production optimization activities and the technical issues with the flash gas compressor. At the time of the incident with the compressor, it was only operating at ~70% of its design capacity. Production optimization is a normal process for operations around the world. A comprehensive safety evaluation took place prior to the optimization process,” said Janelle Persaud, ExxonMobil Guyana Public and Government Affairs Advisor.
She said ExxonMobil Guyana maintains a high level of safety, which is a core value at all of its operations and facilities.
“As the teams work to complete repairs as quickly as possible, we continue to safely manage production and flare levels on the Liza Destiny FPSO,” Persaud stated.
In addition to the repairs on the existing equipment, the company said an order has been placed for a new flash gas compressor which will be available closer to the end of the year, given the complex nature of the equipment.
The company has come under criticism for not having the necessary spare equipment in-country to fix the compressor issue, particularly since a similar challenge was encountered last year, which resulted in a prolonged period of flaring above pilot levels.
“We do keep spare equipment in Guyana to support maintenance activities, including the seals for the flash gas compressor which had failed at the end of last month and spare rotors. However, our initial examination determined that the necessary repairs required equipment and expertise at the manufacturer’s workshop in Germany,” Persaud pointed out. “Last year, we ordered a new spare flash gas compressor, but it will not be available until later this year due to the complex nature of the equipment.”
The Liza Destiny FPSO began producing oil in December 2019 as part of Phase 1 of the Liza Development at the prolific Stabroek Block.
