Guyanese company achieves historic 1st with new offshore pipe fabrication scope

Friedlander Guyana has successfully completed the Water Injection Riser Depressurisation (WIRD) Project, marking the first time a high-pressure process pipe fabrication scope for a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel has been executed in Guyana by Guyanese workers under internationally recognised offshore standards.
The project, delivered for the FPSO Liza Unity, is a major milestone for the local industrial fabrication sector and for Friedlander Guyana, a new entrant to the market. The scope is regarded as one of the most technically demanding in offshore fabrication, involving pipe systems designed to operate under some of the highest water pressures on the vessel.
According to project partners, the work was completed with zero weld defects and zero weld repairs, a performance that underscores the technical capability of the local workforce involved in the execution. Government officials, industry representatives and private sector stakeholders gathered at Friedlander Guyana’s facility on June 9 to mark the achievement with a ceremony hosted by SBM Offshore in collaboration with ExxonMobil Guyana and Friedlander Energy (Guyana).

SBM Offshore Guyana General Manager (GM) Martin Cheong said the project demonstrates the value of collaboration between international operators and local industry.
“The WIRD project is more than a milestone; it is evidence of what can be achieved when world-class partners place confidence in local talent,” Cheong said, adding that it reflects the growing role of Guyanese companies in the energy sector. Friedlander Guyana Director and Co-owner Dr Carla Crawford said the success was driven by the workforce involved in executing the project under strict technical requirements.
She noted that teams carried out cutting, fitting, welding, testing and painting while meeting international offshore standards.
“They learned, they adapted, they pushed themselves to meet international standards, and they succeeded,” Crawford said. To complete the scope, Friedlander Guyana underwent a detailed qualification process that included vendor audits, weld procedure qualification, material testing in internationally accredited laboratories under supervision of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and ABS classification approvals.

The process also involved training and certification of welders, along with non-destructive testing, hydrotesting, blasting and painting. ExxonMobil Guyana Production Manager Huzefa Ali said the project reflects ongoing efforts to build local technical capacity to support the industry’s long-term development.
“As Guyana’s energy partner, ExxonMobil Guyana remains firmly committed to building capabilities as this event demonstrates,” Ali said. Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, delivering the feature address, commended the collaboration between stakeholders and the contribution of local firms to national development. He said the project highlights opportunities for continued investment and growth in Guyana’s energy sector, describing it as a reflection of collective effort across industry and Government.
The initiative also resulted in Guyanese welders participating in the development and qualification of welding procedures, while additional personnel obtained ABS certification, strengthening the country’s pool of internationally qualified technical professionals. Similar scopes are expected to be expanded to other FPSOs in future projects.