ExxonMobil’s open day on the West Bank of Demerara in Guyana drew scores of visitors who were eager to ask the company about the progress of its work on the landmark Gas-to-Energy project.
The event, while not mandatory, was held by Exxon for Guyanese to get answers to questions they have about the project.
High on the list of concerns was the safety of the pipeline and those were addressed by the Project Manager, Friedrich Krispin.
“Exxon has been building pipelines for over 100 years. So, it is critical that people understand, and that is why we are here communicating…that this pipeline is going to be built to the highest standard,” he told OilNOW on the sidelines of the event. “We have designed the pipeline as if we are going through [an] urban area so things like the wall thickness of the pipeline is bigger, the treatment during maintenance is much stricter.”
This is Exxon’s second open day. Krispin noted that the first covered the basics of the project but the latter addressed the critical matter of safety.
“This is something that people have been asking about, how do I know it is safe, how do I live around it, I am not used to having a pipeline in the backyard… So, we have to teach people how to live with the pipeline,” he added.
Exxon is responsible for the installation of the pipeline, while the Guyana government is responsible for an integrated facility earmarked for Wales, on the West Bank of Demerara. The pipeline will transport 50 million cubic feet of natural gas from Guyana’s Liza field to an onshore plant. Pipeline installation has advanced significantly with Exxon set to complete this aspect by yearend.
The project, estimated to cost US$1.8 billion to develop, is expected to slash electricity rates by 50%.
Read more about the project here: All you need to know about Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy project (Updated) | OilNOW