Oil produced from Liza Phase 2 “lighter and sweeter” than regional average – S&P

…should command higher price

The crude oil being produced at Liza Phase 2, which began producing oil earlier this month, is not only lighter than the regional average, but is even lighter in quality than the oil in Liza Phase 1 development in the Stabroek Block.
This is according to energy and commodity market analyst S&P Global Platts, which published a report in which it cited ExxonMobil’s own pre-production assay for the crude oil from Liza Phase 2 development.

According to S&P Platts, the “Unity gold” as the oil from the Liza Phase 2 development has been dubbed, has an average of 33.5 API (American Petroleum Institute) gravity and 0.42 per cent sulphur.
“That makes it lighter and sweeter than many other more carbon-intensive crude oil blends being produced in Latin America, and slightly lighter and sweeter than original Liza, which has an API of 32 degrees and sulphur content of 0.58 per cent,” S&P Platts said.
Lighter crude also means that less refining will have to be done. Guyana’s oil from the Stabroek Block already has a reputation for being light. At one point last year when Guyana went out to tender in search for a firm to market its crude, as many as 29 bids were received from companies around the world.
India has also expressed an interest in buying crude from Guyana, including through a long-term agreement. Last year, one million barrels of oil from Guyana was bought by HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL), a joint venture between State-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Indian steel tycoon LN Mittal.
Liza Phase 2 began producing oil earlier this month. In fact, this will bring Guyana’s oil production capacity to 340,000 barrels per day (bpd) following the commencement of production at the Liza Phase 2 project.
It was explained at the time that production at the <<<Liza Unity>>> FPSO vessel is expected to reach its target of 220,000 barrels of oil later this year, as operations continue to be brought safely online.
ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. This includes the Payara and Yellowtail developments, while Exxon also seeks approval for the Uaru development.
In fact, $88 million was approved in Budget 2022 for a consultancy firm to review the Field Development Plan for Uaru, which if approved will be of Exxon’s fifth oil development in the Stabroek Block.
In January 2020, ExxonMobil announced that Uaru-1 was the 16th discovery in the Stabroek Block. The well encountered approximately 94 feet (29 metres) of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir and was drilled in 6342 feet (1933 metres) of water.
In April 2021, Uaru-2 was announced by the oil giant. Drilling at Uaru-2 encountered approximately 120 feet (36.7 metres) of high-quality oil-bearing reservoirs including newly identified intervals below the original Uaru-1 discovery. The well was drilled in 5659 feet (1725 metres) of water and is located approximately 6.8 miles (11 kilometres) south of the Uaru-1 well.
The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEGPL) is operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 per cent interest.
The Stabroek Block’s recoverable resource base is currently estimated at more than 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels and has the potential to support up to 10 projects.