<article><p class="lead">Crude production from the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek block off Guyana has climbed to 105,000 b/d, while repairs to a natural gas injection system that suppressed output will be completed by end-November, the company told <i>Argus</i>.</p><p>The commissioning of the injection system will allow the floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) that is working the first phase of the Liza project on the block to reach its full capacity of 120,000 b/d in the current quarter, according to US independent Hess, one of ExxonMobil's Stabroek partners.</p><p>The current level of production of 32.1°API Liza crude from the deepwater block is 23pc higher than the Guyanese government reported at the end of August. </p><p>Hess had reported average third quarter output of 63,000 b/d.</p><p>"Ongoing work to complete commissioning of the natural gas injection system continues, and once complete will enable the Liza Destiny FPSO to reach its nameplate capacity of 120,000 b/d in December," Hess chief operations officer Greg Hill said last week.</p><p>ExxonMobil has a 45pc stake in Stabroek with Hess holding 30pc. The remaining 25pc belongs to Chinese state-owned CNOOC unit Nexen. </p><p>Production started in December 2019, with ExxonMobil missing the original target of 120,000 b/d by the end of the first quarter of 2020.</p><p>The US major is projecting output from Stabroek to reach 750,000 b/d by 2026, a year later than originally planned following a protracted political impasse in Guyana and pandemic restrictions.</p><p>ExxonMobil announced new discoveries in September, and now says these have increased its estimated recoverable resources on Stabroek by 1bn barrels of oil equivalent (boe) to 9bn bl.</p><p>The second phase of the Liza project is scheduled to start up in 2022, delivering 220,000 b/d. This will be followed by the $9bn <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2146383?keywords=guyana">Payara project</a> that will be commissioned in 2024 and will deliver another 220,000 b/d.</p><p>The next exploration well at Stabroek will be Hassa-1, about 30mi (48km) east of the Liza field, and which is scheduled to be spudded by the end of this year, with results expected in first quarter 2021.</p><p>ExxonMobil is currently drilling the Tanager-1 well in the Kaieteur block adjacent to Stabroek.</p><p>ExxonMobil has a 35pc stake in Kaieteur. Its minority partners are Canada's Cataleya Energy and Israel's Ratio Energy holding 25pc each, and Hess with 15pc.</p><p class="bylines">By Canute James</p></article>
