26-Jul-2024 -- Actually we are en route from Montevideo to Santo Domingo with a cargo of Uruguayan rice. The track is well offshore of the three Guianas, but as so many other countries, Guyana is also trying to exploit the huge resources of oil and gas off its coast.

Close north of the confluence 8N 57W and about 200 km off the coast of Guyana three so called FPSO are placed. FPSO stands for "Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel", and they are used to produce oil and gas from fields that are located in a range of water depths - from very shallow (30 m) to ultra-deep (in excess of 2,000 m).

Contrary to FPSO, fixed production platforms are limited to about 400 m. FPSO are highly specialized vessels, generally with ship-shaped hulls converted from tankers or new construction. The hull provides containment and the gas and oil processing equipment is mounted on the deck. A mixture of oil, water and gas is extracted from the field, and this mixture is piped to the FPSO, where it is separated, processed and stored. From the FPSO, the finished product is exported to shore by pipeline or tanker.

The FPSO near the Confluence were constructed for ExxonMobil Guyana. At present three FPSO are operating, which are:

• "Liza Destiny" - nearest to the confluence, in the NE.
• "Liza Unity" - ENE of the confluence
• and "Prosperity" - NNW of the confluence

To the South and West there is nothing but the sea.

If you wish to learn more about these offshore projects, please follow this link.

In the sea, far from land.