The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has contracted an international consultancy service to assist in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Phase 2 development of the Liza oil field.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said the agency, Ramboll US Corporation, will fill capacity deficiencies at the EPA.
“They needed increased capacity to look at all of the issues that arose and so this is an international firm that has tremendous experience all over the world,” Minister Harmon said at a post-Cabinet press briefing today.
ExxonMobil’s affiliate Esso Exploration will pay for this service. “The contract is to be executed under the aegis of the Environmental Protection Agency. It is not EPA reneging on its responsibility. It is under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency,” Minister Harmon explained.
ExxonMobil had submitted a project summary for the Liza Phase 2 development to the EPA for environmental authorisation. The document can be found on the EPA’s website: www.epaguyana.org. The US oil giant has held a scoping meeting with stakeholders in Regions One, Two, Three, Five and Six earlier this year.
The Liza field, located in the Stabroek Block, is estimated to contain some three billion barrels of oil. Currently, ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Nexen, are developing Phase 1 for oil production in 2020.
Exxon is anticipating production will begin in Liza Phase 2 by 2022. The Phase 2 development will be similar to Phase 1 except it will be bigger, ExxonMobil’s Director of Public and Government Affairs, Kimberly Brasington said.
