Harmon seeking urgent meeting with Routledge on oil platform problems

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon has written to Alistair Routledge, President ExxonMobil Guyana seeking an urgent meeting on problems being experienced on the Liza Destiny platform which has seen gas flaring and a subsequent sharp drop in production.

In the letter released on Sunday to the press, Harmon noted that the company has slashed production by 90,000 barrels per day to 30,000 barrels per day due to faulty compressor equipment aboard the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading platform.

He said “This reported lingering malfunctioning of equipment that continues to delay the termination of excess flaring of produced gas, plus the significant reduction of operations to a bare minimum production level, are of considerable concerns to the APNU+AFC Opposition, which as you are aware, represents almost half of the Guyanese population in the National Assembly. I am in receipt of numerous queries from our constituents, civil society and concerned citizens expressing their worry that EEPGL’s (ExxonMobil’s subsidiary) performance since inception, appear to be far below expectations and is eroding their confidence in a safe and environmentally sound operation. Similar queries have been received by my colleague Members of Parliament and my office.

“I therefore seek an urgent meeting with you and your executive team at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity to be briefed on matters to include this recent development, the root cause(s) of equipment failures resulting in excessive flaring and reduced production, your plan with schedule for permanently addressing these root cause(s), and the short and long term economic and environmental implications for all of Guyana.

“I propose to be accompanied by senior Members of Parliament including the Shadow Minister for Oil and Gas. I look forward to your response on this urgent matter”.