PARAMARIBO, SURINAME – ExxonMobil Guyana’s proposed 35-well offshore drilling campaign is aimed at evaluating existing discoveries that could become future developments, rather than searching for new resources, according to Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat.
The minister spoke exclusively with OilNOW, addressing questions about the campaign’s planned 2028-2033 timeline and the expected relinquishment of sections of the Stabroek Block in 2027.
Under the terms of the Stabroek Block petroleum agreement, ExxonMobil is required to relinquish portions of the acreage that are not associated with discoveries or development activities, when its substantive exploration period expires. Areas containing discoveries can be retained while appraisal work is carried out, and acreage tied to approved developments also remains under the company’s control. Separate provisions apply to portions of the block in the northwestern section that are subject to force majeure because of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region.
Bharrat explained that wells in the proposed campaign are appraisal wells linked to discoveries ExxonMobil has already made.
“So they’re appraisal wells and not exploration wells,” Bharrat said.
According to the minister, operators are permitted to continue appraisal activity once they notify the government of a discovery. He noted that ExxonMobil has made multiple discoveries offshore Guyana and is now working to determine which of them could advance to development.
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“They have multiple discoveries in which they are doing appraisal work now to make it into a development,” he said.
The appraisal process is a critical step before a company can decide whether to submit a field development plan (FDP), which outlines how a resource will be produced.
“That’s the first thing before they can make a decision to say, yes, we want to submit an FDP,” Bharrat said.
He cited discoveries such as Longtail and Haimara as examples of prospects that required further appraisal before development decisions can be made.
“Whether it’s for Longtail, whether it’s for Haimara… they need to do the appraisal,” the minister said.
The proposed campaign was recently disclosed in an application submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency. If approved, the program would support ExxonMobil’s continued assessment of discoveries across the Stabroek Block as the company advances plans for future offshore developments in Guyana.
So far, ExxonMobil has discovered 11 billion oil equivalent barrels offshore Guyana.
