GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)—The Guyana government has approved its eighth offshore petroleum development, granting a production licence for the Longtail Project, which will become the country’s first non-associated gas (NAG) development.

The Ministry of Natural Resources said the approval covers the Longtail Field Development Plan (FDP) and the issuance of the corresponding Petroleum Production Licence (PPL), marking a step towards the development and commercialisation of Guyana’s natural gas resources.

The project will be operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, alongside co-venturers Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, and will target nine reservoirs in the Stabroek Block.

According to the ministry, the development will use a newly built Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel with the capacity to handle approximately 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day and produce up to 250,000 barrels of condensate daily.

The project is expected to produce approximately 776 million barrels of condensate over a 30-year period, using 27 production wells and 18 gas injection wells. First production is anticipated before the end of 2030.

The development will include facilities for full gas reinjection and eventual gas exports to support onshore utilisation.

The ministry said the Longtail production licence includes requirements for a gas utilisation and export study, covering reservoir performance, production forecasts, export timelines and potential gas markets.

It also includes provisions for gas export safety and risk management systems, as well as requirements for the FPSOs’ base design to incorporate the necessary gas export facilities.

The project is also expected to support President Irfaan Ali’s plans for a natural gas industrial site in Berbice, including a second offshore Gas-to-Energy pipeline.

The proposed industrial development is intended to provide gas for electricity generation and support new industries, including fertiliser production, alumina and mineral processing, data centres and other energy-intensive activities.

The government has said the initiative is expected to attract investment, create employment and expand economic activity beyond the petroleum sector.

The Longtail Project adds to Guyana’s growing offshore petroleum portfolio, while opening another avenue for the development of its natural gas resources.