Guyana is preparing for another major expansion of its oil production capacity as the country's fifth offshore production vessel heads toward the Stabroek Block, with first oil targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Errea Wittu, the FPSO for ExxonMobil's Uaru development, set sail from Singapore and is expected to arrive in Guyana this week, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said on Tuesday.
The vessel was built by Japanese company MODEC and will be the fifth FPSO deployed offshore Guyana.
MODEC says the vessel is designed to produce approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day and store about two million barrels of crude. It will operate approximately 200 kilometres offshore at a water depth of about 1,690 metres.
The Uaru development represents an investment of approximately US$12.7 billion and is designed to develop the Snoek, Mako and Uaru resources in the Stabroek Block. The project is expected to target more than 800 million barrels of recoverable oil.
Dr. Ali pointed out that Guyana's four existing FPSOs are currently producing at a combined rate of roughly 900,000 to 920,000 barrels per day.
But arrival in Guyana does not mean production begins immediately.
The FPSO still has to be installed offshore, connected to the subsea infrastructure and wells, and undergo testing and commissioning before production can begin.
ExxonMobil's current target is first oil in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Once operational, Errea Wittu will process and store crude produced from the Uaru development before the oil is transferred to tankers for export.
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