…but won’t disclose nature of defect
(Kaieteur News) – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) will be conducting maintenance activities on the 220-kilometre subsea pipeline it built for the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project at Wales, West Bank Demerara.
In a statement on Wednesday, the company said it will soon undertake work to address “a finding” on a near-shore section of the pipeline, offshore of Crane, West Coast Demerara, as it maintains its commitment to the safety, integrity and reliability of the infrastructure.
Responding to a media query on what the finding was, EMGL’s media advisor Kwesi Isles said further testing and evaluation will be conducted to confirm the “exact nature of the issue” with the pipeline.
Photo of disruption beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean – July 2026 photo
Meanwhile, in its statement, the company noted that the finding was identified through inspection activities earlier this year. EMGL completed the pipeline in December 2024 for the GTE project, which has repeatedly failed to meet promised deadlines, with the project now expected to deliver only a fraction of its intended power output by the end of 2026.
The maintenance activities are scheduled to commence on 14th October, 2026, and are expected to continue until around 1st December, 2026, as Exxon aims to complete the work before the start-up of GTE operations, “to minimise potential for maintenance interruptions in the future.”
Exxon further noted, “The pipeline is currently pressurised with inert gas (nitrogen) and is not yet in operation. As a result, it does not pose a risk to the public or the environment.” The company also said it is coordinating with relevant stakeholders regarding the activities, while reminding that it is committed to conducting its operations safely, responsibly and in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. EMGL added that a marine notice containing information for mariners operating in the area will be issued by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). Following reports circulating in the media alleging that the pipeline had ruptured, a joint statement was issued in July by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and MARAD rejecting the claims.
The agencies stressed that the pipeline was not active and that no gas was flowing through it. “As there is no gas passing through the line, there can be no leak or damage of the nature suggested in these reports,” it was stated. In that statement, it was noted that since May 2026, ExxonMobil had been conducting a scheduled inspection of the subsea pipeline, an exercise expected to span approximately three months. While the agencies rejected claims that the pipeline had ruptured, they confirmed that a report relating to the pipeline had been received and investigated. EPA and MARAD said that following the joint assessment, the matter was determined to be a “slight anomaly”, but noted that, out of caution, further inspections were being conducted to confirm the continued integrity of the pipeline, consistent with standard safety protocols.
Source: Kaieteur News
