ExxonMobil begins drilling at Haimara-1

ExxonMobil Monday announced that it has begun drilling one of the two wells planned for January, known as the Haimara-1.
In a release on Business Wire, the oil giant confirmed it has begun drilling the offshore well.

The Stena Carron Drillship

The well is being drilled by the Stena Carron Drillship and is located 19 miles (31 kilometres) east of the Pluma-1 discovery in the southeast Stabroek Block.
In the online release, ExxonMobil President Steve Greenlee said of the company, “We continue to prioritise high-potential prospects in close proximity to previous discoveries in order to establish opportunities for material and efficient development.”
He added, like the Liza and Payara areas, “the Turbot area is on its way to offering significant development options that will maximise value for Guyana and our partners.”
Meanwhile, the Noble Tom Madden Drillship is also expected to drill the second well, Tilapia-1, located about three miles west of the Longtail-1 discovery. The Tilapia-1 well is located in the growing Turbot area.
The oil giant has also been making significant progress in the Liza Phase 1 development, which has moved into its peak execution phase ahead of an expected startup in early 2020. It was noted that the Noble Bob Douglas Drillship is continuing the drilling of development wells in the Liza field. Subsea equipment is also being prepared for installation while topside facilities modules are being installed on the Liza Destiny floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in Singapore.
The Liza Destiny FPSO is expected to sail from Singapore to arrive offshore Guyana in the third quarter of 2019.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) issued a notice to all mariners, informing them that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL) commenced drilling at the Liza Field on January 5, 2019, and will continue until June 30, 2019.
“The drill site is approximately 104 nautical miles from the coast of Guyana and covers an area of 16 square kilometres,” the notice stated.
Mariners were requested to “steer clear” and to “navigate with caution when in the vicinity.”