Ramping Up Drilling

ExxonMobil Guyana is adding two drillships in the first half of 2021 to increase exploration and appraisal drilling offshore. This will provide better information about the existing and potential resource base in the three blocks where it operates.

The Stena DrillMAX arrived in February and is the fifth drill ship contracted to support ExxonMobil’s Guyana operations. Following equipment loadout and rig acceptance, the DrillMAX drilled top holes for Uaru-2 and Longtail-2 before moving to Longtail-3 for exploration drilling — all in the Stabroek Block. The DrillMAX sailed to Guyana from Las Palmas in the Canary Islands and can drill in water depths up to 10,000 feet.

A sixth drillship, the Noble Sam Croft, is expected to also arrive in 2021. It has a history of drilling success, most recently in Suriname, where it made significant oil discoveries on Block 58. The fleet of drillships will test play extensions and new concepts in the Guyana blocks and undertake development drilling for the Liza 2 and Payara projects.

The establishment of ExxonMobil’s COVID-19 prevention processes enabled continued operations with consistent staff rotations to and from the vessels. Impressively, more than 6,000 people have safely transferred offshore with zero COVID-19 cases on the installations. Despite the pandemic challenges, Guyana oil operations are progressing safely, and drilling continues to explore Guyana’s resource potential.