ExxonMobil conducting developmental drilling in new well

United States oil giant ExxonMobil has started developmental drilling in another well in the Stabroek Block while simultaneously conducting geotechnical tests in the Demerara River and off the coast of Demerara.

The MODU Noble Sam Croft drill ship

According to notices from the Maritime Administration Department, ExxonMobil has started developmental drilling in a new well. Development drilling will continue on the well – LIZ 3P12 – as of July 7 and will conclude on August 15. In the case of this well, the MODU Noble Sam Croft drill ship will be conducting the drilling.
“The well site is situated approximately 99.6 nautical miles from the coast of Guyana and covers an area of 0.29 square nautical miles,” the notice said, going on to list the over a dozen ships that will be involved in the operation.
Meanwhile, Exxon will also be conducting geotechnical and geophysical surveys along the Demerara River and off the Demerara Coast. According to the notice, these activities will conclude by October 31, 2021, and will use three ships, the MV Wise Fox, MV Risen Star and MV Sealand Chirp.
“The first survey area is situated approximately 17.56 nautical miles from the Demerara Coast and covers an area of 83.34 square nautical miles. The second survey area is 12.7 nautical miles from the mouth to upstream Demerara River and 7.87 square nautical miles respectively,” the notice said, advising mariners to be cautious in the vicinity.
ExxonMobil has established an ambitious oil exploration plan for 2021 offshore Guyana. Over the past few months, Exxon has been drilling simultaneous deep-water wells in both the Stabroek and Canje Blocks.
In June of this year, Exxon made its 20th discovery of oil offshore Guyana, finding 230 feet or 70 metres of high-quality oil reservoirs while conducting drilling at its Longtail-3 well in the Stabroek Block.
According to a statement from ExxonMobil’s headquarters, the find was made at the Longtail-3 well by drillship Stena DrillMAX. The well, which was drilled in over 6000 feet of water, had 70 metres of high-quality oil reservoirs. Longtail-3 follows on the success of Longtail-1, where oil was found by Exxon in 2018.
Prior to Longtail, Exxon last found oil in the Uaru-2 well in April of this year. At the time, that was Exxon’s 19th find. The company had said at the time that it deployed the two additional drill ships in the first quarter of 2021.
The company has also drilled exploration wells in the Canje Block. However, wells like the Jabillo-1 well and the Bulletwood-1 well have come up dry. Another well, the Sapote-1 well, is planned for this year.
The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.
ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. A fourth project, Yellowtail, has been identified within the block with anticipated start up in late 2025 pending Government approvals and project sanctioning. This project will develop the Yellowtail and Redtail fields, which are located about 19 miles (30 kilometres) southeast of the Liza developments. (G3)