埃克森美孚因天然气回注问题限制圭亚那产量

    中国石化新闻网讯 据离岸工程网站8月21日消息 埃克森美孚公司周五表示，由于天然气回注方面存在更多问题，公司正在将其位于圭亚那的旗舰海上项目的产量限制在10万桶/天。

    埃克森美孚高级副总裁Neil Chapman在七月的财报电话会议上表示，在同赫斯公司和中国海洋石油公司联合财团运营的Stabrink区块，埃克森美孚最初计划在Liza项目的第一阶段增加产量，以在8月达到12万桶/天的产量。

    但是，圭亚那环境保护局执行董事Vincent Adams向路透社记者表示，天然气压缩设备的机械问题阻碍了埃克森美孚公司回注轻质低硫Liza原油伴生的所有天然气，促使该公司限制产量，以防燃放过量的天然气。

    Vincent Adams说：“我们知道他们正在尽最大努力修复它，但归根结底并没有完成修复。”

    天然气燃烧是气候变暖温室气体排放的一个重要来源。圭亚那当局表示，埃克森美孚公司应该消除所有的燃烧，除了安全所必需的“引燃”火焰。

    Neil Chapman在7月表示，Liza油田的第一阶段在第二季度实现了其12万桶/日的全部产能。但今年6月，由于天然气回注问题，该公司将产量削减至约3万桶/天，之后又恢复至9万桶/天左右。

    埃克森美孚的一位发言人周五表示，一旦完全投入使用，我们将能够满负荷生产，同时将继续安全地完成天然气处理系统的最终调试。

    埃克森美孚及其合作伙伴在圭亚那海岸发现了超过80亿桶的可回收石油和天然气，预计这将改变这个贫穷国家的经济。

    吴恒磊 编译自 离岸工程

    原文如下：

    Exxon Limits Guyana Output Due to Gas Injection Issues

    Exxon Mobil Corp is limiting output at its flagship offshore project in Guyana to 100,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) due to more issues with the reinjection of natural gas, the South American country's environmental regulator said on Friday.

    Exxon, which operates the Stabroek block in a consortium with Hess Corp and China's CNOOC Ltd, had initially planned to ramp up output for this first phase of the Liza project to its full capacity of 120,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) in August, Exxon Senior Vice President Neil Chapman said in a July earnings call.

    But mechanical issues with gas compressing equipment are preventing Exxon from reinjecting all of the natural gas produced alongside the light, sweet Liza crude, prompting the company to limit output so as to not flare an excessive amount of the gas, Guyana Environmental Protection Agency executive director Vincent Adams told Reuters.

    "We know that they're doing their best to try to fix it, but the bottom line is it's not fixed," Adams said.

    Natural gas flaring is a significant source of climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Guyanese authorities say Exxon should eliminate all flaring except for a "pilot" flame, necessary for safety.

    The first phase of the Liza field "demonstrated" its full capacity of 120,000 bpd in the second quarter, Chapman said in July. But in June, the company slashed output to around 30,000 bpd due to gas reinjection issues, before ramping back up to around 90,000 bpd.

    "We continue to safely complete final commissioning of the gas handling system," an Exxon spokesperson said on Friday. "Once the system is fully commissioned, we will be able to produce at full capacity."

    Exxon and its partners have discovered more than 8 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas off Guyana's coast, which is expected to transform the poor country's economy.