Halliburton to establish mud plant at Water St

Oil and gas support services company Halliburton wants to set up a liquid mud plant at Water Street and while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the project doesn’t warrant an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), it will be monitoring adherence to structural requirements.

In a notice to the public, which was published in the stateowned Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, the EPA stated that the company submitted an application for Environmental Authorisation to build a liquid mud plant at Lots 10-13 Water Street, Georgetown.

Head of the EPA Dr Vincent Adams said that under the law, the project does not require that an EIA be done but the agency will be monitoring the construction process.

“It doesn’t meet the threshold for an environmental impact assessment because it is drilling mud. The only thing we will have to look at is the structural loading. We have to make sure in our evaluation that it meets the structural requirement, in terms of foundation but as you know, drilling mud is not of an environmental hazard,” he said.

“However, we still have to evaluate the structural integrity of what they are designing to contain the mud. It is literal mud, made out of clay, but they are storing [it] in these large tanks. It is used to maintain pressure on

the formation offshore, when they are drilling to counter or suppress the pressure from the well. Mud is heavier than water so we have to ensure these tanks are supported by strong foundations,” he added.

The notice stated that in keeping with the Environment Protection Act and EPA regulations, any person who feels they may be affected by the project may lodge a complaint with the agency, no later than 30 days after the publication of the notice.

Details of the procedures for submissions of appeals could be obtained on the EPA’s website or sent to their Ganges Street, Sophia address.