Exxon slowly ramps up production to 100,000 bpd

…says no soon repairs to Liza Destiny equipment

In an update on Wednesday, ExxonMobil Guyana stated that repairs to the recently challenged discharge silencer aboard the Liza Destiny will take some three months to repair while the installation of the recently repaired third stage flash gas compression system will not be completed until the end of the year.

In other words, flaring at above-startup levels will continue until the repairs and replacements are made. Flare levels are currently at or below 15 million standard cubic feet per day (mscfd).

In the statement, the Company said: “Teams on the Liza Destiny FPSO have removed the discharge silencer for further assessment of the damage and to determine the necessary scope of repairs and/or modifications. We estimate that repairs or replacement will take approximately three months. Additionally, plans initiated in 2020 are progressing to install a redesigned third stage flash gas compression system at the end of this year.”

Meanwhile, it was last reported that the Company sliced production by some 90,000 barrels per day (bpd), moving from 120,000bpd to 30,000bpd. Now, the Company said that it has begun to slowly ramp up production to between 100,000-110,000 bpd.

“These operating parameters were defined after careful consideration of safety, environmental, technical and economic factors as well as discussions with the relevant government agencies on the best path forward while repairs and upgrades are ongoing. ExxonMobil Guyana is extremely disappointed by these ongoing technical challenges but we are proud of the team offshore that continues to work safely and manage operations efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with the relevant parties to rectify the situation as soon as possible,” ExxonMobil Guyana stated.

In late January 2021, after flaring millions of cubic feet of natural gas offshore Guyana in 2020 due to challenges, ExxonMobil again recommenced flaring above start-up levels due to a new technical issue on the Liza Destiny. While efforts were made to repair the faulty equipment and have it returned to Guyana, as the country awaited the repairs, more challenges struck.

In early April 2021, ExxonMobil Guyana reported that the Liza Destiny FPSO had encountered an additional problem with its discharge silencer.

The heads of the local branch of the Company are set to meet with Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon and other Opposition Members of Parliament regarding the matter on Thursday.