EPA says Payara, Liza-1 env

The EPA on Friday said that it viewed the Environmental Permit for the upcoming Payara oil well and the Modified Environmental Permit for the pending Liza-1 well as marked improvements on what existed before.

In a statement, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it strongly disagreed with the Stabroek News article titled: `Payara clause could allow Exxon to flare gas for free’ published on Monday June 28, 2021, and the Kaieteur News article titled: `Govt has weakened environmental standards in favour of ExxonMobil’ published on

Friday July 02, 2021.

The EPA said that flaring for sixty days is only permissible for “Start-up” in both permits. It added that international benchmarking shows that the typical acceptable start-up period for installations of this nature average 90 days and that the EPA’s 60-day requirement is therefore much more stringent as it is well below the average international benchmark.

The EPA said that as far as it is aware, there was never an agreement to prescribe two days of start-up since this was impossible given the nature of the installations.

Further, it said it was erroneous to contend that “no provision to stop after sixty days” since b mits specifically stat Permit Holder shall no sixty (60) days of flarin Start-up.”

Moreover, it said tha no “carte blanche” fo under ‘Special Circum either, as the com required to seek appro the EPA for any flaring 48 cumulative hours. flaring and venting the are also strictly prohi both permits.

“The EPA mainta reserves the right to re request for flaring m