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Population: 800,000, concentrated along the country’s coast. Government: Multiparty democratic republic. Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho. Economy: Agriculture, timber, fishing and mining. Languages: English (official), Creole, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Amerindian dialects. Guyana at a glance
Climate: Tropical, with an average temperature of 81.5 degrees Fahrenheit Flora: Approximately 80 percent of Guyana is tropical rainforest, much of it untouched. Biodiversity: The country has 225 species of mammals, more than 300 species of reptiles and amphibians, 815 (and counting) species of birds, and more than 6,500 types of plants.
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A longshot The odds were against it. The Stabroek block that ExxonMobil acquired rights to explore from the Republic of Guyana is 6.6 mil- lion acres. Water depth at the site exceeds a mile. There had never been a well drilled anywhere on the block. The 22 wells drilled by other companies since the 1970s on the coastal shelf outside the southern boundaries of the block had all proved noncommercial.
“Geologically, the well was quite risky,” Moreland says, “with a low probability that it would turn out to be successful. It was a true frontier wildcat well.” But she goes on to explain that the location of the Liza 1 well held particular interest for the explorers, since initial seismic data and geologic analysis of the region “suggested the presence of sediment fairways transporting sandstone reservoirs into the ba-
sin. In addition, oil and gas shows in previously drilled wells closer to the coast indicated a working hydrocarbon system potentially extending farther offshore into the Liza area.” Next steps While ExxonMobil techni- cal experts in the Exploration, Development and Upstream Research companies continue to analyze the well data and plan for
potential future appraisal drilling, the largest 3-D seismic survey in the company’s history is now underway on the Stabroek block. Two seismic vessels are acquir- ing data over approximately 6,500 square miles, an area comparable to the land mass of the Hawaiian Islands. The program includes two support ships that make sure that there’s no interference from other vessels in the area, as well as two supply boats making regular trips
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