ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge related plans to optimize production at two Stabroek Block projects (Liza 2 and Payara) with debottlenecking activities.
During a recent press conference, the official said that planned production optimization activities for the Payara project will not require a shutdown of operations. The project utilizes the Prosperity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel which targeted production of 220,000 barrels per day (b/d) at start-up, but has demonstrated it can produce up to 238,000 b/d. Routledge said studies indicate that the Prosperity can produce 252,000 b/d with some adjustments.
“The studies have been done. We’re working through reviews with the government agencies, the [Environmental Protection Agency], the [Ministry of Natural Resources] to ensure everybody has that opportunity to test and be comfortable that it is safe to increase to those levels,” Routledge stated.
Routledge is hopeful that those reviews could be completed in the next month or two. He said the reservoirs are performing well. Therefore, the company believes the wells are capable of sustaining the increase.
He also related that a third-quarter shutdown period for the Liza 2 project will allow for additional debottlenecking. The project, like Payara, targeted 220,000 b/d at start-up. It has since been optimized to demonstrate production at a peak of 260,000 b/d. The shutdown, which will also apply to the Liza 1 project, is mainly for hook-up of a pipeline to transport gas to shore.
“In that shutdown period, where we’re installing the riser, we will also be doing some additional modifications, some other planned maintenance work that we would have done a little later, that we’ve accelerated forward…” Routledge stated.
Exxon has also optimized production at Liza 1.
Exxon intends to pursue optimization of all of its sanctioned Stabroek Block projects. While the outlook for 2027 is 1.3 million b/d with six projects, optimization can take it closer to 1.5 million b/d.
ExxonMobil operates the Stabroek block with a 45% stake, while Hess has 30% and CNOOC has 25%. The collective expenditure to develop these six projects is estimated at US$54 billion.
