ExxonMobil hires another Kotug vessel to support Guyana FPSOs

U.S.-based energy giant ExxonMobil has picked another vessel from Kotug, a Dutch towage services provider, for operations entailing the provision of terminal towage support for two floating production, storage and offloading (FPSOs) units offshore Guyana.

Kotug revealed on Tuesday that the deal was awarded by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana (EEPGL) and it would see the firm’s SD Honour vessel join SD Power to provide continuous terminal support to growing floating offshore production facilities at the Liza field.

This is the company’s second contract with ExxonMobil in Guyana. The first one was awarded in October 2020 for the offshore terminal tug SD Power to support operations in Guyana, which marked Kotug’s first operation in South America.  

The latest contract for the 120-tonne bollard pull strong SD Honour, will enable this vessel to join the fleet of offshore terminal tugs supporting ExxonMobil’s two FPSOs offshore Guyana with static tow, push-pull duties and general offshore support to very large crude carriers (VLCCs) taking offload cargo from the FPSOs.

Ard-Jan Kooren, CEO and President of Kotug International, remarked: “The addition of the SD Honour to Kotug’s operations is a reflection of Kotug’s high values and standards with regards to safe operations, teamwork and maritime excellence.”

Located in the Stabroek block some 200 kilometres offshore Guyana, the Liza field has two FPSOs and the first one, Liza Destiny, started production back in December 2019 as part of the Liza Phase 1 development. The second FPSO, Liza Unity, started production in February 2022, as part of the Liza Phase 2 development. The Stabroek Block’s recoverable resource base is currently estimated at more than 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

ExxonMobil plans to have four FPSOs with a capacity of more than 800,000 barrels per day in operation on the Stabroek Block by year-end 2025. The remaining two will be the Prosperity FPSO vessel for the Payara project and the ONE GUYANA FPSO for the Yellowtail project. The first one is currently under construction with SBM Offshore while the second one will be the largest producing unit ever built by SBM.

The block’s operator is ExxonMobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana, with a 45 per cent interest and its partners are Hess Guyana Exploration with 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, which holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

When it comes to ExxonMobil’s most recent activities in Guyana, it is worth noting that the firm made two new discoveries last month to the southeast of the Liza and Payara developments in the Stabroek block.

This has brought the number of this year’s discoveries in Guyana to seven, while the total number of discoveries made in Guyana is now more than 25.