In a significant announcement at the ongoing Guyana Energy Conference, Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, revealed plans for the submission of a request to the Government of Guyana for environmental authorization to explore a second gas project in the Stabroek Block offshore.
Routledge outlined the company’s intention to adopt a “design one, build two” model for this new initiative, aimed at fully unlocking the gas resources located in the southeast section of the Stabroek Block. He indicated that Exxon is actively testing the market for Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF) and for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units as preparations for the project move forward.
The Longtail Project is set to become Exxon’s eighth development project in the Stabroek Block. Routledge announced that the company is due to submit its field development plan to the Ministry of Natural Resources in the coming weeks. Currently, Exxon is concluding its environmental and socio-economic studies that underpin the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for securing an Environmental Permit.
Routledge expressed optimism that the Longtail Project could receive official authorization by the end of the year. He noted, “While we believe this is truly a gas project, it will produce a lot of liquids,” with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day of condensate. The project is designed to be gas export-ready from day one, featuring a gas export riser along with the required equipment on the FPSO to enable efficient gas delivery.
The company is collaborating closely with the government to determine the optimal timing for gas delivery, whether for other oil projects to enhance oil recovery or for the gas-to-energy pipeline to ensure a secure energy supply.
Exxon has already established a 200-kilometer pipeline capable of transporting up to 50 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Stabroek Block to a power plant and natural gas liquids (NGL) facility under construction in Wales.
Looking ahead, Routledge mentioned that the Hammerhead Project, anticipated to commence in 2029, will also contribute to the pipeline’s natural gas supply. “We will have flexibility in 2029 to deliver gas from Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and from Hammerhead into the gas-to-energy pipeline,” he said, emphasizing the importance of securing energy supply for the nation and maximizing liquid recovery from the oil fields.
Currently, Exxon is managing four operational projects, with three more in development. Once the necessary authorizations are obtained, Longtail will join the ranks as the eighth project in Exxon’s Guyana portfolio.
