Hammerhead project advances simultaneously on wells, subsea equipment and FPSO construction

Sept. 9 (oilnow.gy) ExxonMobil Guyana’s Hammerhead development is progressing on several fronts, with drilling, subsea equipment manufacturing and construction of the project’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility underway. 

During a recent episode of the Energy Perspectives podcast released September 7, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge provided the update, noting that the US$6.8 billion project, sanctioned in 2025, is moving toward startup in the 2028-2029 timeframe.

He explained that work is being done simultaneously to complete the major components needed to bring the seventh Stabroek Block development into production. 

“Both the drilling of wells, the construction of the subsea equipment and the fabrication of the floating production facility are all happening in their various parts and places with the different teams around the world… So we have that journey for the next two years,” he noted.

Hammerhead was discovered in 2018 and is expected to produce about 150,000 barrels of oil per day. Its associated gas is expected to initially support offshore operations, with excess volumes potentially supporting the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) network for the planned second phase, the proposed pipeline connecting the GtE network to Berbice, and being transferred to the Unity FPSO to help optimize Liza production. 

Development plans include 10 production wells and eight injection wells. Subsea infrastructure will connect the wells to the FPSO, which will process and store the crude before it is exported.

The project’s FPSO, named Essequibo 1899, is being built by MODEC, while TechnipFMC is responsible for supplying the subsea production systems.

TechnipFMC was awarded a substantial contract in September 2025 covering project management, engineering and manufacturing of subsea production systems for both oil production and water injection. The subsea architecture will include subsea trees, manifolds and associated controls from the company’s Subsea 2.0 platform.

Hammerhead follows ExxonMobil’s Liza 1, Liza 2, Payara, Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail projects.

ExxonMobil operates the Stabroek Block with a 45% interest. Chevron holds 30% through Hess, while CNOOC holds the remaining 25%.