Drillship inspections pose a challenge for Guyana government
2019, July 1: The cost of inspection of drillships of the Guyana coast could cost the country’s Labour Department more than 9,000 USD per trip. Under Guyanese laws, the offshore vessels which will be mining Guyana’s oil fields, are considered factories. As such, all rules and regulations pertaining to safety and health apply, including regular inspections by the country’s Labour Department. However, according to media reports, it appears that the cost of the required inspections may be too burdensome for the Department’s budget.
Reports coming out of a June 7 stakeholders meeting suggest that cost may hamper close monitoring occupational safety and health on the drillships (as compared to other factories in Guyana where several visits per year are scheduled). At the current quoted costs, one estimate suggests that only two inspections per year could be made to the drillship.
At press time, the drillship Stena Forth was en route to Guyana to begin drilling. It had been operating in West Africa. Stena Forth is expected to reach Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas’ Orinduik Block in time to spud the Jethro Lobe prospect off the shores of Guyana before the end of June. The mobilisation of this drillship is significant in that it is the final of what has been described as a long, conservative and quality-controlled process to plan and drill the initial two wells on Orinduik.” []
