Fifty-one Guyanese companies were added to SBM Offshore Guyana’s vendor database in 2023, according to Garri Fraser, the company’s Local Content Officer.
Fraser gave insight on SBM Offshore’s local content strides, during the company’s ‘Let’s Talk Local Content’ Seminar, held as part of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo on Feb. 22. “We would have qualified 51 new vendors… This really shows our commitment to working with local vendors who have the ability and capacity to work with us,” he shared.
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Over 200 representatives from local businesses were present at the seminar aimed to engage local vendors and organizations in discussions about SBM Offshore Guyana’s procurement process, key vendor requirements, compliance guidelines, and local content initiatives.
“As we navigate through the upward trajectory of the global energy landscape, the role of local content has never been more critical. SBM Offshore, as a leader in floating production solutions, remains steadfast in our sustainable and efficient energy production,” Fraser said.
Bobby Gossai, Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, underscored the critical role of local content in driving Guyana’s economic growth.
He emphasized SBM Offshore Guyana’s partnership in this endeavor, stating, “We wanted to see economic growth and development, investments flowing back into the economy, and SBM Offshore is a key partner in developing local content in Guyana. They understand its impact.”
SBM Offshore Guyana collaborates closely with various groups, including the National Coordinating Coalition (NCC), Guyanese Achieving Together Enterprises (GATE), and the Guyana Oil and Gas Support Services Incorporated (GOGSSI). Representatives from those firms – Simone Sills from NCC, Clinton Urling from GATE, and Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer from GOGSSI, shared insights into how their partnerships with SBM Offshore Guyana have contributed to their respective organizations’ growth and success during a panel discussion at the seminar.
SBM Offshore is the builder of Guyana’s floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels operating in the offshore Stabroek block. ExxonMobil has so far contracted SBM Offshore to design, build and operate four FPSOs for the Liza Phases One and Two, Payara and Yellowtail projects. The Liza Destiny, Unity vessels and Prosperity vessels are already online. The ONE GUYANA FPSO is expected in 2025.
SBM Offshore is supporting several large local content-focused projects in Guyana. These include the locally owned Plympton Farms and the Hubu Aquafarm, ventures that allow its local operations to reduce dependence on imports to supply food to persons working aboard the FPSOs. The company is also heavily involved in the Guyana Technical Training College. The first phase was commissioned earlier this month – an FPSO facility simulator called FacTor. Its first cohort of students is from SBM Offshore’s Graduate Trainee program.
SBM Offshore was the first major Exxon contractor to receive approval for its local content master plan by the Local Content Secretariat, in 2022.
